Sokoto businessman, Alhaji Abu Dankure (left), who was kidnapped by some unknown gunmen with friends and relations
that visited to sympathise with him yesterday in Sokoto, after he regained his freedom Monday night.
Photo: NAN

ormer President of the Academic Staff union
of Universities (ASUU), Professor Festus Iyayi
was killed yesterday following a head on collision involving the bus in which he was travelling
and a Toyota
Hilux in the convoy of Kogi state governor, Captain Idris Wada, along the Auchi-Lokoja highway.
Iyayi and three other ASUU activists, who sustained various degrees of injury in the accident,
were on their way to Kano for the Union’s National
Executive Committee (NEC) scheduled to hold today.
Sources say that Prof. Iyayi’s vehicle was hit
hard by the last vehicle in Wada’s convoy, which was
involved in a ghastly accident almost 11 months ago.
But the Special Adviser to the Kogi state governor, Jacob Edi, has denied allegations that it was the
governor’s pilot vehicle that hit Iyayi’s car.
“There was a collision on a narrow road and it is
too early to say who rammed into who. The ASUU
car was dodging a trailer and an accident occurred.
It is not fair to politicise this incident”, the governor’s aide said.
Edi said as soon as the accident happened, the
governor directed that the ambulance in the convoy
be used to convey the victims to the Federal Medical
Centre, Lokoja.
Some of the victims, he said, were also taken to
cont on page 2

eputy Senate President,
Ike Ekweremadu has
assured that the proposed
national dialogue would neither
delay nor disrupt the ongoing
constitution amendment process.
According to a statement by
his Special Assistant on Media,
Uche Anichukwu, Ekweremadu
gave the assurances on Monday
while delivering a paper entitled,
“Constitution Review Process:
A Comparative Perspective” at
the ongoing African Legislative
Summit being organised by the
National Assembly and other
international partners.
He said in view of the new
provisions on how to enact a
new constitution already passed
by the Senate and awaiting

other steps to become part of
the constitution, the ongoing
constitution amendment process
would rather help to provide the
legal frameworks that would give
life to the eventual output of the
proposed national dialogue.
The Deputy President of the
Senate said, “There is no way
the ongoing efforts at convening
a national dialogue would
adversely affect or necessitate
the suspension of the ongoing
constitution
amendment
process. In fact, the Conference
Committee of both Chambers of
the National Assembly will soon
be put together to harmonize the
work of the Constitution Review
Committees of the Senate and the
House of Representatives.
“We cannot wait for the
national dialogue because we do

not know when it will start or
when it will end. But the good
thing is that our work will even
help to provide the necessary
legal frameworks that would
give life to the outcome of the
dialogue.”
He however, pointed out that
the way forward for Africa was
not necessarily in the abundance
of laws, but the willingness and
discipline to live by the dictates of
the constitution.
He added “The important
thing is the practice; the value
we place on the constitution,
and our attitude to governance
that will determine whether a
constitution will succeed or not.
The United Kingdom has no
written constitution anywhere,
but it is one of the best-governed
countries in the world because

of the value system they have
entrenched over the years. The
American Constitution is one of
the smallest constitutions in the
world, yet it has sufficed for them
for over 200 years.
“We believe that with the
proper value and orientation,
there will be no need for frequent
change of the constitution. If
we have a just society where
we get justice from the courts,
where the correct laws are made,
and the executive executes the
laws without fear or favour and
offenders are punished without
reference to where they are
coming from or their political
persuasions, we are going to
have a just society; and I don’t
think we even need an elaborate
constitution to achieve that”, he
said.

Gov Wada’s convoy kills ex ASUU President
cont from page 1

Kwankwaso will be
an asset to APC , says
Senator Gaya– Page 37

Int’l
S/World

31-34
35

Digest 36
Politics 37-38
Newsxtra

39

Sports 41
Columnist 48

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the Government House Clinic. The
Kogi governor’s spokesperson said
the governor later visited the hospitals to sympathize with the victims
of the accident.
He dismissed suggestions that
the accident happened because of
over speeding by his boss’ convoy,
saying Wada’s convoy travels at 80
kilometre per hour speed.
On December 27, 2012, the governor’s motorcade was involved in
a crash that killed his security aide
and injured two other state officials, leaving Wada himself with a
fractured leg.
Meanwhile, the death of the
former ASUU president yesterday
threw University of Benin (UniBen)
community into anguish.
The UniBen zonal chairman of
ASUU, Dr. Anthony Monye-Emina
and the only female official of the
union in that chapter, simply identified as Dr. (Mrs.) Ilo, who were in
the ill-fated bus, were said to be in
coma as at press time.
Commenting on the death of
the late professor of Business Ad-

ministration in UniBen, Professor
Friday Okonofua threatened to
sue Kogi state government, which
he urged to take responsibility for
Iyayi’s death.
Head of Public Relations Department, University of Benin,
Mr. Harrison Osarenren, declined
comment on the accident, stating
however that the matter will be presented before management of the
school today.
The former Provost, College of
Medicine, UniBen, however called
for a thorough and independent investigation into the circumstances
that led to the accident.
Okonofua alleged that: “It is the
governor of Kogi that killed him; a
reckless convoy. He killed our own
most distinguished academic who
has won medals all over the world.
We will hold the governor responsible for his death.”
As at press time last night, there
were indications that the death of
the ASUU chieftain may affect the
planned suspension of the ongoing
strike by the university lecturers.
Several sources within ASUU
told our correspondent last night

that the meeting would no longer
hold today due to the accident.
One of the striking lecturers who
spoke to one of our correspondents
but declined to be named said “the
strike continues indefinitely until
the deceased is buried and all issues
concerning his death are solved”.
But this position could not be
officially confirmed as concerted
efforts to get the current ASUU
President, Dr. Nasir Isa Fagge to
speak with one of our correspondents failed. He neither answered
repeated calls to his cell phone nor
replied an SMS sent to it inquiring
about the planned NEC meeting of
the union.
Fagge had earlier confirmed the
death of the unionist to newsmen.
He said “the sad news was broken
to the union in the morning of Nov.
12.’’
He told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in a telephone interview that he was shocked and could
not utter a word.
He said “I cannot say anything
right now. We have just lost one of
our own, Festus Iyayi, who was very
dear to us. I am mourning.’’

Professor Iyayi was born in
1947 in Ugbegun, Ishan, Edo state.
He obtained a M.Sc in Industrial
Economics from the Kiev Institute
of Economics, in the former USSR,
and his Ph.D from the University of
Bradford, England.
In 1980, he went back to Benin
and became a lecturer in the Department of Business Administration.
A well known author, with four
books to his credit (Violence, The
Contract, Heroes, and Awaiting
Court Martial), Dr. Iyayi won the
Commonwealth Prize for Literature for his book Heroes in 1988.
As a member of staff of the
University, he became interested
in radical social issues, and a few
years after his employment, he
became the president of the local
branch of ASUU).
He rose to the position of national president of the organization in 1986, but in 1988, the union
was briefly banned and Iyayi was
detained. That same year, he won
the Commonwealth Prize for Literature. He was later removed from
his faculty position.

4 roads guzzle N178bn SURE-P funds
By Ikechukwu Okaforadi

A

probe by the Senate
ad hoc Committee on
Subsidy
Reinvestment
and Empowerment Programme
(SURE-P), has revealed that the
SURE-P Board has spent over
N178 billion on four roads and
two bridges across the country
between 2012 and 2013.
According to a presentation
made to the Senate ad hoc
committee by the Minister of
Works, Mike Onolememen, the
four major roads include the
Abuja-Abaji-Lokoja road and the
Kano-Maiduguri road.
Others are the Enugu-Onitsha
road, and Benin-Shagamu-Ore
road, while the two bridges are
Second Niger Bridge and the

Oweto Bridge, linking Benue and
Nasarawa states, all of which are
being constructed majorly with
SURE-P funds.
According to the minister,
N85.5 billion was spent on the
roads in 2012 from SURE-P,
while
the
ministry
paid
N61billion. Also, in 2013, N93.4
billion was expended on the
roads, out of which over N67
billion was paid from SURE-P.
It was also discovered that
the Abuja-Abaji-Lokoja road,
which was awarded at the
contract sum of N42 billion in
2006, has been jerked up to over
N116 billion by the ministry to
accommodate “some technical
deficiencies”.
During the probe, the
chairman of the Senate ad

hoc committee, Abdul Ningi,
expressed dissatisfaction over
the sudden increase of over
76 per cent on the AbujaAbaji- Lokoja road, seeking
explanation on why the ministry
should approve such increase.
He
further
expressed
concern over the increasing
cost of road construction in
the country, saying that what
obtains in Nigeria is far beyond
other countries in Africa.
In his response, the minister
said the original contract
was awarded without the
requisite designs, adding that
the consultant for the road
project has been blacklisted by
the ministry for not including
appropriate technicalities before
approving the road design.

Onolememen also said the
construction works on the four
major roads and two bridges
have reached advanced stages,
expressing hope that the AbujaAbaji-Lokoja road would be
commissioned by the end of next
year.
Meanwhile, the Senate ad
hoc committee has summoned
four contractors handling the
Abuja-Abaji-Lokoja road to
appear before it to explanation
how far they have gone in the
road project, in addition to the
payments already made and the
outstanding amount they expect.
The affected construction
companies are Dantata & Sawoe,
Gitto,
Bulet
International
Nigeria Limited and Reynolds
Construction Company.

iger state governor, Dr.
Mu‘azu Babangida Aliyu, yesterday called on
the management of the Central
Bank of Nigeria (CBN) to account for the shortfalls being
experienced in the federation
account since May this year.
Aliyu said CBN, as the custodian of all funds accruing to the
federation, should tell Nigerians
what was responsible for the
decrease in the income of the
country.
There have been shortfalls in
revenue accruing to the federation account due to dwindling in
remittances by the nation’s supply company, the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation
(NNPC).
This shortfall has forced

some state governors to resort
to borrowing to run their governments.
Aliyu who made the call in
Minna at the 3rd MBA International Literary Colloquium,
maintained that no one knows
the actual amount of income being generated from the nation’s
oil resources daily.
He said, “There has been a
reduction in the revenue coming to the country from the sale
of oil; we don’t know how much
we make but the outside world
knows what we sell and how
much we make.
“Since May, a lot of money
has not been paid into the national purse; we should hold the
CBN responsible because they
are the custodian of all monies
coming to the country.”
He reiterated that apart from
income from oil, the nation has

to lay more emphasis on agriculture which he said will generate more money for the country
and provide more employment
for the nation’s teeming youths.
The governor pointed out
that Nigerian youths deserve
credible role models and a system where older generations
must mentor the younger generation with opportunities to
contribute to national development.
“We must however work towards reliving the period 1960
to 1980 where Nigeria youths
had considerable opportunities. The economy flourished,

education was expanded; universities multiplied and school
enrolment increased at all levels
of learning while job opportunities were available for all disciplines.”
The Niger state governor
also reiterated that the Rivers
state governor, Rt. Hon. Rotimi
Amaechi, remains the legal and
authentic Chairman of the Nigeria Governors’ Forum (NGF).
Meanwhile, Amaechi who
was the chairman of the occasion challenged Nigerians writers to publish books and journals on the serial corruption
going on in the country.

The Rivers state governor
lamented that no writer in the
country has written any book on
the N2.3trillion stolen from national purse to serve as historical documents for generations
yet unborn.
Prominent Nigerians at the
occasion include the former
Military President, General
Ibrahim Badamasi Babangida,
Secretary General of the Pan African Writers Association, Professor Atukwei Okai, professor
Kofi Anyidoho from University
of Ghana as well as other discussants drawn from various
Universities in Nigeria.

PDP crisis: Suspension
will harden G7 - Saraki
By Ikechukwu Okaforadi

F

ormer governor of Kwara
state, Senator Bukola Saraki, has said that the suspension of four key members of
the Peoples Democratic Party
(PDP) faction on Monday by
the party’s National Working
Committee (NWC), will harden
the G7 governors in the crisis
facing the party.
He also described the suspension as a serious setback to
genuine reconciliation between
the G7 governors and the party’s leadership.
Saraki, who is a key member of the G7 Group, disclosed
this in Abuja yesterday while
fielding questions from journalists.
He expressed surprise over
why the suspension of the
former National Secretary of
the party, Prince Olagunsoye
Oyinlola, Kawu Baraje, among
others, when the appeal court
in Abuja passed a judgment
recognising Oyinlola as the
authentic national secretary of
the party.

He said the court judgment
was an opportunity for reconciliation, regretting that the recent suspension of the four aggrieved members of the party
was an attempt to circumvent
the court judgment.
He said, “We should not
take the issue of the rule of law
with levity. Since a court had
ruled that Oyinlola should resume as Secretary of the party,
PDP should comply with the
judgment of the court. These
are some of the issues that
some of us are angry about.
The PDP will be there, long
after Oyinlola, long after everybody.
Commenting on the alleged
crack within the ranks of the
G-7 Governors, he said, “The
attendance at the G-7 meeting
showed that all the governors
were present. The meeting
provided an avenue that could
bring about reconciliation.
Even if there were moves within the G-7 to embrace total reconciliation during the meeting,
the action taken against Oyinlola had done the opposite. “

Iyayi’s death: Jonathan
condoles family, ASUU
By Umar Muhammad Puma

P

resident Goodluck Jonathan yesterday commiserated with the family,
leadership and members of the
Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) on the tragic death
of former ASUU President, Dr.
Festus Iyayi.
Jonathan, in a statement by
his Special Adviser on Media and
Publicity, Reuben Abati, said the
country has lost a renowned academic and award-winning writer

who rose to national prominence
in the 1980s with his courageous
leadership of ASUU in its struggle for a better working environment for teachers and academics
in the nation’s university system.
“The President is particularly
dismayed by the fact that Dr.
Iyayi has sadly lost his life while
going to contribute to efforts to
finally resolve the current ASUU
strike which has unfortunately
disrupted academics in most of
the nation’s universities for over
four months”, Abati said.

L-R: Managing Director/ Chief Executive, NEXIM Bank, Roberts U. Orya, and former President, African
Development Bank, Mr. Babacar N’diaye, during a meeting where the latter pledged his support for
the NEXIM- facilitated Regional Sealink project, yesterday in Abuja.

Reps probe NNPC, Swiss oil
dealers’ N1.088trn scandal

By Umar Muhammad Puma

T

he House of Representatives yesterday ordered immediate investigation into
an alleged N1.088 trillion ($6.8
billion) fraud involving the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) and some oil dealers
in the country.
The House, following a motion raised by Rep Abiodun
Abudu-Balogun, mandated its
joint committee on Petroleum
Resoures (Upstream), Petroleum
Reaources(Downstream) and justice to carry out an indepth investigation into the allegation.
The sponsor of the while quoting from the Berne Declaration report, noted that Nigeria has been
duped to the tune of $6.8billion
through “Letterbox Companies”
and foreign oil companies.
According to him, “report indicated that Swiss Traders Opaque
deals in Nigeria reveals that the
NNPC and foreign oil companies
have duped the country over $ 6.8
billion dollars through some Let-

ter Box Companies”.
He described the oil scam as
the greatest fraud Africa has ever
known and the report specifically
mentioned vital and Transfiguration Commodity Trading Forms
(NNPC Partners) in the shady
deals and how Nigeria loses billions of dollars as large volumes
of Oil are exported far below the
market prices.
The lawmakers were alarmed
by a report from a Swiss Non-governmental Advocacy Organisation, especially the Berne Declaration which alleged that the NNPC,
in connivance with major Swiss
oil trading companies, is draining
Nigeria of billions of Dollars in
revenue through the sale of crude
oil below the market value.
Abudu-Balogun further told
his colleagues that “The sharp
practices and deals in the NNPC
Crude Oil allocations to local refineries which are not utilized but
sold fraudulently at knock-down
prices to Geneva based companies
through letterbox companies by
swap arrangements.”

He stressed that, “Nigeria is
the only major oil producing nation that sells 100 percent of its
crude to private traders, and rather than market it herself and benefit from the resulting added value
with greatest number of beneficiaries of export allocations.”
The lawmakers also wondered
the intense secrecy surrounding
the operations of the NNPC and
the oil industry and worried over
the damaging allegations contained in the report against the
NNPC and its subsidiaries regarding the non-disclosure of its detailed financial report since 2005.
The report described the
schemes employed by the NNPC
and foreign oil importers, such as
creating offshore subsidiaries referred to as “letterbox companies”,
ship-to-ship transfer to create untraceable paperwork; payment of
subsidy money to phantom and
non-existing importers, and partnering with politically exposed
fraudsters to defraud the country
over $6.8 billion from 2009 and
2011.

PEOPLES DAILY, WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 13, 2013

Page 4 Report

Promoting Nigeria’s
manufacturing-based economy

E

xperts agree that no nation
can achieve industrial and
economic growth by mere
exportation of raw materials
alone.They also say that practical efforts must be made to reposition Nigeria from an economy
that exports mainly raw materials to a manufacturing economy.
The Minister of Trade and Investment, Dr. Olusegun Aganga,
restated this when he spoke at
the 2013 Ministerial Platform,
organised by the Ministry of Information.
“History shows that no country has ever become rich by exporting raw materials without
also having an industrial sector,
and in modern terms an advanced services sector.
“The more a country specialises in the production of raw
materials only, the poorer it becomes,’’ the minister said.
He said that the Federal Government introduced the Nigeria Industrial Revolution Plan
(NIRP) in order to boost industrialisation.According to Aganga,
it is the nation’s first comprehensive, integrated, and strategic
roadmap to industrialisation.
He said that the NIRP had
identified strategic industry
groups where Nigeria already
had comparative advantage, with
a view to increasing capacity and
production in the mid-term.
The minister noted that Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSNEs) were the engine
room of any economy that was
production oriented.
“We have developed the National Enterprise Development
Programme (NEDEP) implemented by the Small and Medium Enterprise Development
Agency (SMEDAN), Industrial
Training Fund (ITF) and Bank of
Industry (BOI).
“It takes industry to the
grassroots as SMEDAN will be
located in all the states of the
federation.
“We are driving enterprise
in schools and universities so
that students can graduate with
the requisite skills and entrepreneurial acumen.’’
He also said that MSMEs
were being moved from the informal to the formal sector, while
local SMEs were being linked to
SMEs in the Diaspora.
Aganga noted that efforts
were on top gear to increase
youth entrepreneurship skills
and participation in the mainstream economy.
“Currently, there are 32 million Nigerians employed by MSMEs. NEDEP aims to increase
MSME employment by 16 per
cent over three years.
“NEDEP aims to reduce the
spread between Micro, Small and

Minister of Trade and
Investment, Dr. Olusegun
Aganga

The Federal Government is working on a new automotive policy that will prioritise the patronage of vehicles assembled in Nigeria

Medium Enterprises (SMEs).
“By formalising the microenterprises, there is the potential
to reduce poverty, unemployment rate and create wealth.’’
The minister also announced
that BOI and SMEDAN were
spearheading the conversion
and upgrade of some Industrial
Development Centres (IDCs) to
specialised industrial business
parks.
“New industrial park structures to be developed in line with
comparative and competitive
advantages that exist in the locations where they are situated.
“Industrial business parks
will be shared working spaces for
enterprises, and will have capacity to conduct industrial skills acquisition and entrepreneurship
training programme

“

“Financing and resources
for the industrial parks will be
sourced from BOI and State
Matching Fund.’’
On sugar production, he
said that the Federal Government had approved a New Sugar
Master Plan (NSMP).Aganga
said that Nigeria was previously
among the top five importers of
sugar, and only produced about
three per cent locally for domestic consumption.
“On Sept.19, 2012, the Federal
Executive Council approved the
New Sugar Master Plan (NSMP)
and implementation commenced
January 2013.
“NSMP has stimulated investments of $3 billion thus far;
NSMP is targeting the production
of 1.7tonnes of sugar; creation of
117,181 direct jobs and generation

of 411.7MW of electricity.It also
targets total forex savings of up
to $565.8 million annually, from
savings from sugar production
and fuel importation.’’
He said that the drive to restructure the economy towards
manufacturing was yielding positive results, as shown in significant improvement in balance of
trade; with reduced importation
and increased export value.
Aganga added that there was
a decline in reliance on revenue
from oil exports as revenue from
the non-oil sector improved.
“In the first quarter of 2013,
non-oil exports accounted for
N305 billion.The country recorded a 43 per cent decline in
imports between 2011-2012, resulting in savings of about N4.2
trillion in foreign exchanged.

Analysts want the government
to take practical steps to boost
industrialisation, as Nigeria is
trailing behind other D8 countries like
Iran, Turkey, Indonesia, Pakistan,
Bangladesh, Malaysia and Egypt
that were at par with Nigeria at the
inception of the group in 1987.

“In the first quarter of 2013,
industry contributed 66.9 percent of the FGN’s non-oil earnings.Import, as a percentage of
total,trade fell from 35.7 per cent
in 2011 to 20 per cent in 2012,
the minister stated.
The minister, at a recent
meeting with officials of General
Motors, also unfolded the country’s automotive policy. ``We
are working on a new automotive
policy that will prioritise the patronage of vehicles assembled in
Nigeria.The policy is part of the
Integrated Mass Transit Policy
of President Goodluck Jonathan,
which is aimed at providing efficient and affordable mass transit
for Nigerians”, he stated.
“We want to leverage the
policy to develop our local automotive industry by ensuring
that we patronise vehicles that
are assembled here in Nigeria.
By so doing, we will be able to
boost the productivity of our
vehicle assembly plants, create
jobs, generate wealth and transform our economy,’’ the minister
restated.
Analysts want the government to take practical steps to
boost industrialisation, as Nigeria is trailing behind other D8
countries like Iran, Turkey, Indonesia, Pakistan, Bangladesh,
Malaysia and Egypt that were at
par with Nigeria at the inception
of the group in 1987.(NAN)

PEOPLES DAILY, WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 13, 2013

PAGE 5

News

L-R: Interim National Chairman, All Progressives Congress, Chief Bisi Akande, former Head of State, General Muhammadu Buhari (rtd), Edo state Governor, Comrade
Adams Oshiomhole, and APC Leader, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, during the 5th anniversary ceremony of the administration of Governor Oshiomhole and official
launch of the APC, yesterday in Edo State.

ormer Head of State,
General
Muhammadu
Buhari has assured that
All progressives Congress (APC)
would put an end to terrorism
and kidnapping if the party is
elected in the 2015 polls.
The 2011 defunct Congress
for Progressive Change (CPC)
Presidential candidate disclosed
this
yesterday
in
Benin
City, where he charged the
Independent National Electoral
Commission (INEC) to remain
an unbiased umpire.
He said APC is determined to

secure the country, adding that
the party is also determined to
stop terrorism and kidnapping
when it assumes power at the
centre.
“The APC is fundamentally
after two things. We are
determined to stop terrorism,
to stop abduction of people and
make Nigeria work’’, he said.
Buhari challenged Nigerians,
especially the voters to resist
any form of rigging ahead of
next Saturday’s Governorship
election in Anambra and 2015
Presidential polls by the ruling
party.
APC National leader and
former Governor of Lagos State,

Ahmed Bola Tinubu threatened
that APC will not tolerate any
attempts to manipulate Anambra
elections.
He said though the ruling
party may not want to surrender
power easily to opposition, but
APC which he noted are not daft
would get it ``in another manner
in 2015’’.
He berated the federal
government for reeling out
annually,
economic
growth
statistics which has resulted to
job losses and unemployment.
Addressing the crowd of
supporters, Edo state governor
Adams Oshiomhole said, “The
challenge is to focus on the

We paid N35bn out of N36bn debt, says Al-makura

From Ali Abare Abubakar, Lafia

G

overnor Umaru Tanko Almakura of Nasarawa state has
said that his administration
has so far paid N35 billion out of a
total N36 billion debt it inherited
from previous administrations.
The governor stated this
yesterday
while
addressing
the
maiden
meeting
of
harmonization committee of the
All Progressives Congress (APC)
in the state.
Al-makura while lauding the
progress the party was making in
From Suleiman Idris, Lagos

D

isengaged staff of the
liquidated national carrier,
Nigeria Airways Limited
yesterday called on President
Goodluck Jonathan to pay their
severance benefits owed for
a period of 20 years after the
country’s defunct carrier was
liquidated by former president
Olusegun Obasanjo in 2003.
The former workers, who
gathered for a prayer session
in Lagos yesterday, said their
counterparts in other countries
have received their benefits about

the state and the country at large,
said his administration was able
to offset the debt and carried out
appreciable projects, particularly
in
terms
of
infrastructural
development, without borrowing a
Kobo.
He said the APC administration
is
different
from
previous
administrations because it does
not embark on what he described
as “cosmetic projects”, but merely
concentrates on projects that have
direct bearing on the lives of the
people.
On the perceived friction

generated by the appointment of
an interim leadership for the APC in
the state, the governor said such is to
be expected in a democracy, urging
members to desist from conduct
capable of generating tension.
On his part, Gen Ahmed
Aboki (rtd), zonal chairman of the
APC, announced the decision of
Al-makura to donate a building
in Abuja to serve as the zonal
secretariat of the party.
He disclosed that so far,
Nasarawa state is leading other
states in the country in the effort to
make APC stronger.

Defunct Airways workers beg Jonathan
over N70bn severance benefits
nine years now.
The workers who converged
under the aegis of Aviation Union
Grand Alliance (AUGA) told
reporters that it has also mandated
the Trade Union Congress (TUC)
and other unions to write President
Jonathan in order to inform him of
their travail.
Comrade Ibrahim Husseini,
who spoke on behalf of the
aggrieved workers disclosed that
government need about N70

billion to offset the outstanding
severance benefits for the former
workers and pensioners, the
severance package has been
pending for 9 years.
He further explained that after
the initial payment of five years
severance benefits, out of the 25
years, by late President Umaru
Yaradua, government has never
shown any positive response to the
several request by the workers to
look into their plight.

economy”, and appreciate the
role of security agencies for rising
to the occasion, with a pledge to
send unrepentant kidnappers to
the gallows.
The governor who paid
tribute to his late wife, Mrs.
Clara Oshiomhole and victims of
kidnapping, however berated the
media for celebrating persons
with questionable characters in
society.
“One way to determine
whether a leader has done well
or not is to look around whether
those who started with you at the
beginning are still with you at the
end’’, saying between November
last year and November this

year, the state government has
paid to major contractors about
N36 billion certificate generated
from road construction, schools
construction
and
hospital
construction and we recognize
that our allocation from Abuja is
barely over four billion”.
The governor also declared
that “every month we pay to
contractors about N3.2 billion
out of which 85% of the federal
revenue is devoted to capital
projects that people can see. Our
market women who were in the
past used during election and
abandoned, we have empowered
them by giving them cash to
rebuild their markets”.

here was pandemonium
yesterday in Abuja, as the
Department of Petroleum
Resources visited the NNPC mega
station to ascertain the level of
compliance on the part of operators
as regards to safety operations,
accurate and up to date gas facilities,
certificate of operations, accurate
fuel pumps and fire extinguishers
for them to operate in an all
inclusive environment.
At the Central area NNPC mega
station, security agents were seeing
molesting customers, who went
to buy kerosene. On sighting the
press, the customers flarred up in
anger which attracted huge crowd
at the scene, complaining that they
had been there since morning to
buy kerosene but nobody was ready
to attend to them.
One of the customers who
spoke said NNPC officials gave
each group a day to obtain kerosene
and that yesterday was their own
date but they were unable to buy.
When asked, the NNPC manager,
Mr. James Alingo said they had

short supply of kerosene and were
waiting for another supply.
But the customer disagreed,
alleging that they have been selling
to black marketers who pay more
money than the normal price, other
mega stations case were almost the
same.
Also at the Abuja gas dealers
point, the team discovered that the
dealers were selling gas cylinders
with leakages and were also
exchanging old gas cylinders for
new ones as well as selling expired
fire extinguishers to people even
when the market environment
was not conducive for gas business
because of the dangers involved.
But the DPR Zonal comptroller
of Abuja office, Alhaji Aliyu Halidu
said the regulatory body has been
in the vanguard of such media
campaigns to sensitize buyers of
liquefied petroleum gas on their
safety and maintenance as well as
enlightening them on the dangers of
obtaining gas on the road side where
people are not duly registered.
He said, those who were found
guilty will face the full wrath of the
law.

PAGE 6

PEOPLES DAILY, WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 13, 2013

News

Why 2014 budget presentation was postponed – Senate

T

he Senate yesterday
said President Goodluck Jonathan postponed the presentation of the
2014 budget due to “certain
exigencies’’.
Jonathan had written to
the National Assembly last
week seeking to present the
budget proposal to a joint session of the National Assembly
on Tuesday, November 12.
The Chairman, Senate
Committee on Information,

I was
blindfolded for
5 days, says
freed Wamakko
associate

Media and Public Affairs, Sen.
Enyinnaya Abaribe, told newsmen that no further reason was
given by the presidency for the
postponement.
He said the postponement
was conveyed in a correspondence to the lawmakers.
“It was supposed to happen
today, but the President wrote
to the National Assembly asking
that the event be put off till November 19 due to exigencies that
were beyond the control of the
Presidency.
“The reasons were not made

known, but if the President asks
us to give him one more week I
don’t think there is any reason
for us to start looking for the
‘whys’.
“We think that if he needs
more time, we should give him
more time,’’ Abaribe said.
The Senate spokesman, however, added that both chambers
of the National Assembly were
looking forward to hosting and
listening to Jonathan during the
joint session on Nov. 19.
Abaribe said it was wrong as
being insinuated that the post-

ponement was because of the
lawmakers’ inability to debate
and pass the Medium Term Expenditure Framework (MTEF).
He said the MTEF report had
been presented to the Senate.
The News Agency of Nigeria
(NAN) reports that the MTEF
forms the foundation for the
2014 budget.
Abaribe also said there was
the possibility that the budget
could be passed before the end
of the year.
“Miracles have been known
to happen and another miracle

Sultan,
Onaiyekan to
host inter-Faith
Conference
By Evelyn Okakwu

By Mohammed Kandi, with
agency report

T

A

Sokoto-based businessman,
Alhaji Abu Dankure, who
was last week kidnapped by
unidentified persons has regained
his freedom, saying his abductors
treated him nicely.
Dankure, who was released
Monday night, said his abductors allowed him say his five daily
prayers and never starved or denied him of sleep.
The 68 years old business mogul said, “I was blindfolded since
I was kidnapped last Wednesday
up to the time they dropped me
opposite the Sultan Abubakar III
Juma’at Mosque, Sokoto, yesterday night”.
He also said his abductors did
not reside in one location, adding
that, “They were speaking Hausa
and English and some of them
prayed as Muslims, but not in congregation.”
Dankure, who is an associate
of governor Aliyu Wamakko, said
that the abductors did not stay in
one place but, “were changing location between some villages.
“They removed my gown and
dressed me in Jeans, shirt and a
round hat and I was in that dress
up to the time they dropped me in
Sokoto on Monday night.
“Whatever it was, I only thank
God and I am happy that I am
now free and I have peacefully
reunited with my family,” he said.
It would be recalled that
Dankure was kidnapped last week
Wednesday at Dundaye village,
few Kilometers from the state
capital, Sokoto, and had abandoned his car in another village.
According to a reliable source,
the car was found at Dubawa village, a fifteen minutes drive from
the Sokoto metropolis.
The source added that the 68
year old Dankure, who grew up
with the Governor, “is believed to
have been nabbed by those looking for money.”
Governor Wamakko of Sokoto
State had earlier paid a visit to
Dankure’s family and assured his
family that he is in good health
condition and will soon be released
by his abductors.

can happen and we will pass it.
We will do our best within the
time limit that we have,’’ he
said.
The senator said the National Assembly was, beyond
passing the budget 2014, far
more focused on making sure
that the 2013 budget was fully
implemented.
“We also expect that the
2013 budget will be fully implemented because Nigerians need
everything that can improve
our economy,’’ he told newsmen.

L-R: Former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar, in a handshake with Bishop Mathew Hassan Kukah,
during the 1st Africa Legislative Summit, yesterday in Abuja.

uspended Prince Olagunsoye Oyinlola, whose mandate as the Secretary of
the ruling Peoples Democratic
Party (PDP) was recently revalidated by an Appeal court, has
‘officially instructed’ the party’s
National Legal Adviser, Victor
Kwon, to ensure the implementation of the court ruling.
Oyinlola, in an internal
memo, on the official letter
headed paper of the party, addressed to the National Legal
Adviser instructed Kwon to “do
all the needful for compliance
with the Appeal Court Order.”
While ordering the PDP Na-

Police recover
60 cattle,
arrest rustlers
in Bauchi

he religious leaders have
taken yet another step to
strengthen the unity between the two major religions of
the country.
A statement made available to
our correspondent said the Sultan
of Sokoto, Alhaji Sa’ad Abubakar,
in a joint effort with the Catholic Bishop of Abuja, Arch Bishop
Onaiyekan have agreed to organise
an interfaith conference tagged:
“The Imperative of interfaith understanding and cooperation.”
The conference, which will take
place at the Nicon Luxury Hotel,
Abuja, tomorrow, will highlight
among other things the ways out
of the many religious challenges
faced by the country.

...as party intimates INEC of
his suspension

tional Legal Adviser to ensure
compliance with the court order
on his reinstatement, Oyinlola
mandated Kwon to “note that
in compliance with the constitution of the PDP, I am expected
to sign all official correspondences from the PDP National
Secretariat as the Chief Administrative and Accounting Officer of the PDP.”
Meanwhile, leadership of
the party has written to the Independent National Electoral
Commission (INEC) notifying
it of the suspension of Alhaji
Abubakar Kawu Baraje, Dr.
Sam Sam Jaja, Prince Olagunsoye Oyinlola and Amb. Ibrahim Kazaure from the Party.
The National Working Com-

mittee, in a letter dated November 12, 2013 and signed by
the National Chairman, Alhaji
Dr. Bamanga Tukur, informed
INEC of the suspension of the
party men on Monday, November 11, 2013 for engaging in
anti-party activities in violation
of the provisions of the PDP
Constitution.
According to the party “The
decision of the NWC was in exercise of its powers under section 57 (3) of the PDP constitution, 2012 (as amended) and in
the overall interest of the Party
and its members.”
In a related development,
the former Acting PDP National
Chairman and Interim Chairman of New PDP, Alhaji Abuba-

kar Kawu Bareje has described
his suspension and other members of his group as confirmation of impunity by the leadership of the party, led by Alhaji
Bamaga Tukur.
Bareje in a statement in Ilorin yesterday while reacting
to his suspension and other
members of nPDP urged his
supporters and Nigerians to
remain calm, steadfast and
prayerful, adding that there
was no cause for alarm over his
acclaimed suspension and that
of some other members of the
party.
Baraje disclosed that very
soon, himself and other members of his group would announce their next line of action.

From Ahmed Kaigama,
Bauchi

Command’s Public Relations
Officer, DSP Haruna Mohammed yesterday in Bauchi said the
syndicate were smashed and 60
cattle were recovered at Mina
village in Too local government
council of the state.
According to the statement,
13 cattle were recovered at
Gambiri village while 34 sheep

recovered in Yelwan Duguri
of Alkaleri local government
Bauchi state.
It said two suspects were arrested and investigation is ongoing and urged members of the
public whose cattle and sheep
were stolen to come along for
identification and proof of ownership to collect their property.

T

he Bauchi State Police
Command in a joint operation with Danga vigilante
group has recovered over sixty
cows from cattle rustler syndicate in different part of the state.
A statement signed by the

amfara
state
Peoples Democratic
Party
(PDP)
chieftain,
Alhaji
Farukh Umar Ahmad,
has
condemned
the
spending of N8.6 billion
for the re-installation
of streetlight units in
Gusau, the state capital,
by the administration of
Governor Abdulaziz Yari
Abubakar.
Speaking to newsmen
yesterday
in
Gusau,
Farukh Umar, who is
also an ex-officiao of
the
PDP
North-west,

recalled the measure
taken by the present state
House of Assembly in
probing the immediate
past administration of
Mahmud Aliyu Shinkafi
over the use of N2.6 billion
for the execution of same
project.
He contended that
the PDP has formidable
evidence that captured
Yari’s approval for the
release of N8.6 billion only
for the removal, repainting
and reinstalati0n of the
same number of units of
streetlights across the main
roads of the state capital,
against N2.6 billion spent
by the immediate past

administration.
“Let us take a look at
the difference between the
power of N8.6 billion and
the sister amount of N2.6
billion, just give a simple
minus between the two
amounts, it would still
leave N6.6 billion behind.
We can then ask
why he who pointed an
accusing finger against the
spending of N2.6 billion,
now found it necessary to
raise the figure to N8.6
billion”, he said.
Meanwhile, the exofficio further disputed the
reasons given by Governor
Yari for the dismissal of
over civil servants.

he
Federal
G o v e r n m e n t
yesterday sent a
strong delegation under
the leadership of VicePresident Namadi Sambo
to condole Katsina State
Governor, Alhaji Ibrahim
Shehu Shema over the
death of his father.
The
Vice-President
arrived
Katsina
International
Airport
around 11:00am and went
straight to the Shema’s

family home in Sabon
Layi where he condoled
the bereaved family.
Also on the entourage
of the Vice-President to
condole the governor
include
Kebbi
state
Governor, Sa’idu Nasamu
Dakin-Gari and Kaduna
state Governor, Alhaji
Mukhtar Ramalan Yero.
The delegation offered
special prayers for the
repose of the dead and
prayed Allah to forgive his
sins and give the family
the fortitude to bear the
irreparable loss.

Similarly,
former
defunct ACN Presidential
candidate, Alhaji Nuhu
Ribado paid a condolence
visit on the state governor
over the death of his
father.
It could be recalled that
the father of Katsina state
governor, Alhaji Shehu
Shema
died
Monday
after a brief illness at
the National Hospital,
Abuja and was buried
according to Islamic Rites
in Katsina.

than egos.
The former Vice
President explained that
attempts to supplant the
power or roles of one
another could plant the
seeds of conflict and that
such temptation should be
avoided.
On the theme of the
Summit, which relates
to “political parties and
legislative autonomy”, he
said legislators were elected
in their own right and the
idea of expecting them to
follow the party line was a
potential source of conflict.
The former Vice
President also reiterated
his support for a two-party
system for Nigeria, which
he said, is more suitable
for
Nigeria’s
peculiar
circumstances.
According to him,
the
two-party
system
“would help to narrow the
differences among parties”
and remove the traditional
fault-lines in our political
system.

On internal democracy,
Abubakar said although,
Nigeria’s democracy is
still young, “we have not
often taken adequate steps
to deepen it,” and that
authoritarian
tendencies
had not been overcome,
despite the return to
democracy.
He noted with concern
that “the vestiges of
intolerance of opposition
and criticism remain quite
strong”.
He expressed the
conviction that political
parties should be vehicles
for citizen participation in
the political process and
that the parties should get
their interests represented
in the legislature.
The former Vice
President,
however,
maintained that internal
democracy among political
parties was “critical to allow
for free expressions by all
members and for various
tendencies to find space for
expression.”

ormer Vice President
Atiku
Abubakar
has counselled the
executive and legislative
arms of government to
operate within the confines
of constitutionally defined
powers and responsibilities
in order to avoid longdrawn out conflicts, which
might impede governance.
Speaking at the
opening session of the
2013 Africa Legislative
Summit on political parties
and legislative autonomy
yesterday in Abuja at the
International Conference
Centre, Atiku said, while
the struggle for power
between the executive and
the legislature is normal,
the larger national interest
should be allowed to take
precedence over their egos.
According to Atiku, the
people would be served
better if the different arms
of government are guided
by national interest rather

PAGE 8

Photo Splash

R-L: Senior Lecturer, Department of Telecommunication Engineering, Federal
University of Technology, Minna, Dr. Aibinu Musa, explaining their research work
to Supervising Minister of Defence, Mr Labaran Maku, Minister of Communications
and Technology, Mrs. Omobola Johnson, and Chief of Defence Staff, Admiral Ola
Ibrahim, during the Air Force Inter-Command and Most Innovative Research and
Development Projects Competition and Exhibition, yesterday in Abuja. Photo: NAN

PEOPLES DAILY, WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 13, 2013

Officials of the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC), during a post crash development
seminar, yesterday in Port Harcourt. Photo: NAN

Wife of the Cross River state Governor, Mrs. Obioma Liyel Imoke (middle), leading
others in advocacy/sensitisation walk to celebrate World Pneumonia Day,
yesterday in Calabar.
Photo: NAN

People wading through flood, yesterday at Jakande Gate, Alimosho Local
government area of Lagos state.
Photo: NAN

PEOPLES DAILY, WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 13, 2013

PAGE 9

PAGE 10

PEOPLES DAILY, WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 13, 2013

News

EFCC cannot prosecute me,
former Kogi governor tells court

By Sunday Ejike Benjamin

F

ormer Governor of Kogi
State Prince Abubakar Audu
has told an Abuja High
Court that the Economic and
Financial Crimes Commission
(EFCC) cannot prosecute him on
a 36-count corruption charges on
non-existing laws.
He has asked the Abuja High
Court to dismiss the 36 count
charges brought against him
by EFCC for want of diligent
prosecution.
In an application seeking the
dismissal or striking out of his
arraignment, Audu said the court
has no power or jurisdiction to
continue his trial under unknown
laws.
His lead counsel Chief Mike
Ozekhome (SAN) who moved
the application for preliminary
objection to the trial argued that
Justice Olayiwola A. Adeniyi

cannot assume power to hold the
trial until when the accused person
has been properly charged under
existing laws.
The former Kogi State governor
was brought for trial by EFCC
under the repealed Advanced Fee
Fraud and other related offences
Act No 13 of 1995 as amended by
Act No 62 of 1999.
But Ozekhome attacked and
faulted the charge insisting before
the court that as of now, there is
no law or enactment known as the
“Advanced Fee Fraud Act No 13 of
1995”.
Ozekhome submitted that
the laws had ceased to exist in
the statute book having been
effectively repealed, abrogated,
obliterated and no longer have any
effect.
The counsel further submitted
that the law under which Audu
was charged was not only dead but
should be seen by the Abuja High

Court as if it never existed.
He argued that charging the
former governor under a repealed
act contravened the provisions
of sections 36 (12) of the 1999
constitution which stipulated that
no Nigerian shall be convicted
of a criminal offence unless the
offence is defined and penalty
prescribed.
Ozekhome said charging Audu
to court for alleged fraud under
a non-existent laws was wrong,
unlawful, immoral, illegal and unconstitutional, null and void and of
no effect whatsoever.
Besides, the SAN submitted
that the former governor was
being arraigned by EFCC for an
alleged offence committed against
Kogi State and that EFCC cannot
lawfully prosecute the case without
the fiat (authority) of the Attorney
General of Kogi State.
He insisted that EFCC,
being an agency of the Federal

Government can only prosecute
alleged offenders under the
federal laws adding that since the
alleged offence against his client
was against Kogi State, it is only
the Attorney General of the State
that can appropriately put him on
trial.
“It is not in doubt that the fund
allegedly said to have been misappropriated belonged to Kogi
State government, a separate entity
within the meaning and provisions
of section 2 (2) (3) (1) (2) of the
1999 constitution as amended”, he
said adding also that the Attorney
General of the Federation does not
have the power to prosecute his
client.
While objecting to the
application, counsel to EFCC, Mr.
Rotimi Jacobs (SAN) asked the
court to dismiss Audu’s application
on the ground that the repealed
law has been captured under a new
one.

Minister urges
Nigerians to be
innovative
By Joy Baba

T

he supervising Minister of
Science and Technology,
Omobola Johnson said
in order to sustain the current
development, there was need
for Nigerians to look inward and
gradually wean themselves of over
dependence on foreign technology
and become more innovative in
the use of local resources.
Johnson stated this yesterday
during the Nigerian Air Force
(NAF) inter-command most
innovative
research
and
development
projects
and
exhibitions held at the Air Force
base Abuja.
She said NAF had over
the years strived to return
professionalism especially since
the return of civil democratic rule
in the country.
She maintained that if Nigeria
as a nation could collectively
harness her effort, it would
surmount all challenges.
In his welcome address, the
Chief of Standards and Evaluation,
Headquarters, NAF Air Vice
Marshal Sadiq Abubakar said the
objectives of these programs was
to build credible and sustainable
capacity also to optimize local
content in the country’s products
and operational equipment.
He also said the NAF
Research
and
Development
programme was in pursuance of
the current Chief of Air Staff, Air
Marshal Alex Bade’s vision to
transform NAF into a self reliant
and highly professional fighting
force through the application
of innovative technology in
fulfilment of the National Defence
and Security objectives.

Engineers call
for protection of
pipeline against
vandals

From Femi Oyelola,
Kaduna

T

he Nigerian Society of
Engineers has called for
effective
protection
of
the nation’s pipeline against
vandals.
The
Chairman,
Kaduna
Branch of the Society, Engr.
Abdul Audu gave this indication
yesterday while speaking to news
men.
Audu
said
pipeline
vandalisation in Nigeria is one
of the major threats to the socioeconomic development of the
country.
“The act of vandalism is
normally carried out by wellarmed and vicious criminals
who are ready to eliminate
any body that may oppose
them. It is generally believed
that some of these criminals
are well connected and highly
sophisticated in their operations.
There are also neighbouring
opportunists who scoop fuel from
damaged pipelines after the real
actors must have gone with their
big loot”, he said.
He said proper and effective
security should be in place to
guard it.
“Well sound security system
and other advanced forms of
monitoring the pipelines will
assist the authorities to always be
ahead of the vandals”.

Police seal
anti-corruption
conference
venue

S
L-R: Former Kaduna state Governor, Alhaji Balarabe Musa, Director, Research and Documentation,
Anti-Corruption Network, Hon. Ebenezer Oyetakin, and Executive Secretary, Anti-Corruption
Network, Dino Melaye, addressing journalists after they were locked out by security personnel,
during on Colloquium on Freedom of Information Act 2011 (FOIA), yesterday at the Nicon Luxury
Hotel, in Abuja. Photo: Justin Imo-Owo

Jigawa NSCDC rewards members,
nab two hard drugs barons

From Ahmed Abubakar,
Dutse

T

he Jigawa state Nigerian
Security and Civil Defence
Corps (NSCDC), yesterday
honoured and awarded its best
performing officers in the state.
Speaking
during
the
presentation of the awards,
the state commandant, Malam
Muhammed Gidado Fari said
the command resolved to reward
the recipients as a mark of
appreciation and recognition
for the job well done and also to
encourage them on their duties,
for to others to copy”.
He said 25 officers of the

command who excelled in their
various fields were rewarded, “also
250 men in the command who
attended arm handling training at
Katsina by the military were also
awarded with certificates”.
Meanwhile, a drug baron and
expert in illicit drugs trafficking
and distribution in Jigawa state
and beyond had been arrested by
the state command of the Nigerian
Security and Civil Defence Corps
in Gumel town.
A statement by the state’s
commandan said the suspect was
on the command’s wanted list.
According to the statement, “at
around 5pm we arrested a dealer
and distributor of hard drugs who

was on our wanted list for a long
time”.
The statement gave the name of
the suspect as Muhammad Jafaru,
25 years, of Gawon quarters and
his accomplice identified as Habu
from Maigatari local government
area.
Malam Muhammed Gidado
maintained that the suspects were
arrested with several prohibited
hard drugs which include Tramol
capsules, Tramol tablets, Diazer,
Exzol and D5.
Gidado said the command
would hand the suspects to the
National Drugs Law Enforcement
Agency (NDLEA) for further
action and prosecution.

cores of armed police
officers, yesterday sealed
off the Nicon Luxury hotel
conference room where an
anti-corruption conference was
planned.
The
anti-corruption
conference was planned by
an organisation promoted by
former House of Representatives
member turned anti-corruption
campaigner, Dino Melaye.
The police arrived in the early
hours of the day with combat
officers, including anti-terrorism
squads, to carry out the seal-off
of only the conference room the
anti-corruption
campaigners
rented for the conference.
It was still unclear why the
conference room was sealed. The
police authority responsible for
Abuja, the FCT Command, denied
ordering the operation.
“I am not aware of it,” the
spokesperson of the command,
Altine Daniel, said.
But Mr. Melaye believed
the seal-off was ordered by the
Inspector General of Police,
Mohammed Abubakar.
“The hotel management said
the police officers brought an
order from the IG,” he said.
The spokesperson of the
Nigeria Police headquarters,
Frank Mba, is yet to respond to
inquiries.

PEOPLES DAILY, WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 13, 2013

PAGE 11

Money Sense

The amazing secrets of financial freedom

F

ollow the wealth formula
and you will live the life of
choice and freedom you’ve
always dreamed about.
You don’t need hard work, to be
the most talented guy, or even
connections; you just need to
know what rich people know. No
matter who you are, or what is your
current financial situation, you can
become a wealthy man.
You only need to know three
things to become a moneymaking
machine. First, the source of your
income is the key element in
the wealth-building arena. Some
sources will make you rich and
others will keep you trapped in
the rat race.
Second, you should have your
expenses under control. Learning
how to keep money is as important
as knowing how to make it.
And finally, you should
understand the difference between
good and bad debt.
I will show you how
understanding, and applying, each
one of this principles will give you
financial freedom.
The source of your income
Here there are only three ways
to earn money and they are:
Trading your time for money:
This is the worst source of money;
if your money comes from this
place, you are an employee or
an auto-employee. You need to
work to earn money. Many guys
believe that just because they
work for themselves, they are
entrepreneurs. But, the truth is
that most of them are only autoemployees.
Your time is a limited resource,
you can only work a certain amount
of hours a day, and if you stop
working your income supply will

Money Tip:
Hard Times
and Desperate
Measures

Nothing new to these
following ideas except more
persons are engaging in these
short on cash money making
ideas than ever before. Selling
one’s blood have always been
common but making clothes
alterations or sewing clothes is
always a quick way to bring in
some extra income; needless to
say, a little know-how of sewing
is a great help. In addition,
is there anyone that can knit,
crotchet or make pot holders?
That will do for starters. Let
friends at work, at church and
mosque know about your skills
and be sure to take samples
along.

Quote
A pat on the back is only a few
vertebrae removed from a kick in
the pants, but is miles ahead in
results. -Ella Wheeler Wilcox

also stop. You will never become
wealthy if your money comes from
this source.
Using money to make money:
This is a great alternative to earn
some passive income. This source
includes investing in stocks,
bonds, gaining money through
interests and dividends, royalties
earned from investing in other
people’s businesses.
With this approach, you don’t
need to build anything; you just
use your money to generate more
money.
Creating money machines
(businesses): Here you create
businesses that will make money
for you on autopilot.
Building multiple small
streams of income is the best
way to gain financial freedom.
But unless your multiple streams
of income work on autopilot
you won’t be able to build, and
manage, a lot of them.
To gain financial freedom avoid
earning money through active
income, trading your time for
money, and instead find passive
income alternatives that will let
you earn money while you sleep,
using money to generate money, or
creating money machines.
Keep your money
It doesn’t matter how much
you earn, if your expenses exceed
your income you are on the road

to financial disaster. If you want to
gain financial freedom you need to
live below your means.
Your unavoidable expenses
(rent, gas, energy, food, etc.) should
not exceed 50% of your income.
You can use 30% of your income
for you. Spend this money on
anything you want, but no more.
Use the rest of the money, 20%,
to save and invest.

Healthy debt vs. cancerous debt
You should avoid debt at all
costs. Debt is like a cancer that will
kill your financial future, and your
peace of mind. The only time you
are allowed to acquire debt is if you
are going to use the money to buy
an asset. That means you are going
to use the money to create a passive
income vehicle.
Keep in mind that although

these principles are very simple
they are also very effective. Learn
to earn money through the right
source, spend less than you earn,
and only acquire debt if you are
going to increase your net worth.
I promise you will become rich for
sure.
Learn the secrets of the rich and
live a life of choice and freedom
beyond your wildest dreams.

Take risk; make N150,000 in one day - Three action items

T

here is one million ways to
make N150, 000 in just one
day. The problem most of us
face every day is we choose
not to do them. If you are reading
this article, chances are, you do not
have an annual salary of N360, 000.
Reality is, for most of us, making
this kind of money is not going to
happen from a day-to-day job. It
will require some creative thinking.
The wealthy think outside of the
box, take risks and have a plan. The
key to long-term wealth is adopting
these characteristics in our lives as
action items.
If your goal is to make significant
money tomorrow then, you must
start thinking outside of the box
today. Ask yourself, what can I do
to make money tomorrow? I can
think of some easy things to do very
quickly. Have a junk sale. I defiantly
have at least one hundred and fifty
thousand naira worth of stuff which
I do not use anymore. Invest money.
Investing money is the most efficient
way to make money. What can
you buy today for N1500 and sell
tomorrow for N3000. The point is,
anything you can do tomorrow other
than go to work from nine to five is
outside of the box.
The next action item is probably
the most important. In order to
do something outside of the box,
you must willing be ready to take
risks. The fastest way to make one
hundred and fifty thousand naira
may also be the fastest way to lose it.
I do not mean gambling when I say
take risks. I am encouraging you to
try something new. Try something
you have never tried before. The
trick is to take risks with your

time, effort and the least amount
of overheard risk as possible. Be
adventurous with your actions and
ideas. Most of the time it will take
money to make money however,
it is possible to turn ten naira into
twenty maybe thirty naira. Your
success will certainly be a story of
trial and error. So, do not be afraid
to fail.
Once you have our idea and
you are willing to take the risk then
it is important to create a plan.
Taking the time to think about
your next step and why, will always
increase your probability of being
successful. Start with then end goal
first. Work backwards to create
your plan, for example, if I wanted
to make a quick grand by flipping a
car. The goal is to sell a car for one
hundred and fifty thousand naira
profit. Getting a professional detail
and a free inspection will probably
help me sell the car but I will have
to buy the car for a good price
first. So my plan would be to find
someone in a bad spot who needs
to sell their car fast. Negotiate the
deal in my favor. Take the vehicle
to get an inspection. Have the car
professionally detailed and looking
good. Finally re-list the car and
cash out.
The hardest part of the equation
is actually implementing these
three concepts into your daily life.
Thinking outside the box, taking
a risk and creating a plan seem
almost too easy. What makes it
difficult is getting out of the daily
routine and actually doing these
very simple things.
Imagine doubling your money
every week with no or little risk!

PAGE 12

PEOPLES DAILY, WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 13, 2013

EDITORIAL

This is definitely the golden era in
Nigerian sports. You won fairly and
convincingly and we are very proud
of you. This victory is for Africa and
the beginning of revival in the nation’s
football. Let this victory be a start off point
for you, your family and your country.
“We have been conquering the world
at U-17 level there is no reason why we
cannot win at the senior level. This is
a world class team and must remain
champions from category to category.”
Those were the words of a delighted
President Goodluck Jonathan Sunday
night at a presidential reception in honour
of the victorious Golden Eaglets, who not
content with just emerging FIFA U-17
World Cup champions did so in grand
style by setting records even Brazil,
Argentina and Mexico, all former cadet
teams champions, must envy: The Eaglets
became the first team on earth to win the
prestigious trophy for the fourth time
(they won the maiden edition in 1985,
1993, 2007), scored 26 goals- the highest
since the inception of the tournament in
China in 1985.
Besides, the Eaglets won the Fair Play
trophy, the Most Valuable Player trophy
through Kelechi Iheanacho, who also
clinched the silver ball narrowly missing
the golden boot by a marginal goal, Dele
Alampasu won the Golden Gloves- as the
best goalkeeper. The feats meant Nigeria
clinched not just the highest honour
in the tournament but became the first
country in the history of the FIFA cadet
competition to win all but a top prize.
True, like President Jonathan said,
the Golden Eaglets won fairly and
convincingly in all the matches. However,
their wins were beyond doubt as they
trounced title holders Mexico twice with
generous scorelines (6-1, 3-0), humbled
Iraq (5-0), Iran (4-1), Uruguay (2-0)
Sweden (3-3, 3-0) to convince doubting
Thomases of their superior depth and
firepower and even team and individual

brilliance.
That the Eaglets had the capacity to tame
their peers to rule the world was palpable
at the CAF championship where but for
sheer naivety and perhaps exuberance
they conceded victory on penalties to their
physically intimidating Junior Elephants of
Cote d’ Ivoire in the final in Morocco, just
three months after the Super Eagles stunned
Africa to win the Nations Cup in South

“

“

Golden Eaglets set tone for
national revival

Peoples Daily urges national
leaders to learn from the lads
who though from different
ethnic groups and faiths saw
themselves firstly as a bunch
dedicated to a sole purpose

Africa.
Apart from delectable skills, the
Eaglets exhibited character and discipline
throughout the tournament, and played
strictly by the rules. Little wonder they had
the least number of cautions; six yellow
cards in all.
As accolade of praises for the lads and
technical crew pour in spearheaded by an
appreciative nation which responded to the
honour done her by awarding them cash
and national honours, we cannot fail but
note that the team had painstakingly been
subjected to strategic planning prior to the
CAF and later FIFA fiestas. The results have
been the convincing performances which
many fair weather friends are suddenly
capitalizing on to identify with the team.
That of course is instructive. Were all
spheres of national endeavour meticulously

OUR MISSION
“To be the market place
of ideas and the leading
player in the industry
by putting the people
first, upholding the
truth, maintaining the
highest professional and
ethical standards while
delivering value to our
stakeholders”

and painstakingly planned and executed,
the motley of failed national projects
and haphazard approach to delivery of
essential services perhaps would have
been greatly reduced. The courage of the
Eaglets, their commitment to set goals
and sheer determination to attain them as
evident by their resolve, especially after
being physically intimidated by their bigger
but less tactical opponents- Swedes- to
rekindle their depth and adopt a more
cohesive approach to subsequent matches
surely need be taken to heart by leaders of
the various sectors of the nation’s socioeconomic cum political spheres.
While the nation celebrates the lads,
care must urge the Nigeria Football
Federation (NFF)- the body which has the
legal status to organise and administer
football- to adopt a proactive approach
that ensures they are kept intact and
monitored and therefore prevented from
greedily signing slavish foreign contracts
in the guise of going professional. They
need to be groomed, nurtured and further
exposed to international competitions.
We suggest that the bulk of the players
be graduated into the Flying Eagles and
subsequently further chiseled ahead of
the 2016 Olympics Games in Rio, Brazil.
This requires strategizing meticulously to
ensure that the players remain a united
force; continue to horn their skills in
domestic league and then from time to
time are called up to camp so that they can
stregthen their cohesion.
Peoples Daily urges national leaders
to learn from the lads who though from
different ethnic groups and faiths saw
themselves firstly as a bunch dedicated to
a sole purpose: win the FIFA U-17 trophy
and worked hard to achieve just that. That
indeed is the summary of the quest of
these toddlers, who stood taller than their
peers at the world stage and therefore
re-engineered the path to national revival
and eventual greatness. Hurrah our
Golden Eaglets!

“To be a reputable,
profitable,
innovative and
technologically
reliant media
company offering
world class
services and
products”

PEOPLES DAILY, WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 13, 2013

PAGE 13

Opinion

Nigeria: A state of no infrastructure
By Bámidélé AdémóláOlátéjú

I

n the last three weeks, I have
been crisscrossing Nigeria
and the dilapidated state
of our country’s infrastructure
confronts me in every state I
visited. A lot can be inferred
about the health of a nation
going by the condition of its
infrastructure. What does
Nigerian infrastructure say
about Nigeria? The unvarnished
truth is that Nigeria has no
infrastructure, the sparse ones
we have are in advanced stages
of decay. At this point, Nigeria’s
infrastructure is held together
by rusted iron, crumbling
concrete and of course our
national pastime – prayers.
Our roads are a disgrace and
the few bridges and overpasses
look like they could collapse at
any moment. Our power grid
is ancient, the Kainji dam and
its outdated turbines look like
relics from an old civilization
while thermal stations like
Egbin are in a precarious state.
We have no sewage treatment
system; gallons of untreated
sewage overflows into the
streets from open sewers and
canals making Nigeria one of
the dirtiest nations on earth.
We have no modern way
of disposing garbage other
than throwing them into rivers
and dumping them anywhere
anyhow on the streets. Our
drains are overflowing with
plastics, the lagoon and our
rivers are polluted with human
waste and effluents discharged
by manufacturing concerns
causing serious ecological
problems to aquatic life.
The Murtala Muhammed
International, Aminu Kano
By Jibrin Ibrahim
ower is deceitful and often,
people in power think they
can do anything they want.
It was the French philosopher,
Rousseau, who warned that
even the strongest is not strong
enough to remain master except
they can turn force into law and
obedience into duty.
We live in a Nigeria where
the police, the major agent
of the rule of law is engaged
in reckless harassment of
people they perceive to be the
enemies of the President. On
3rd, November, they even had
the effrontery to invade the
Kano State Governor’s Lodge
to disrupt the discussions the
G7 Governors were engaged in.
They have consistently harassed
the Rivers State Governor
and even prevented his free
movement in the state where
he is supposed to be the chief
security officer.
In addition, the Police
Commissioner of the State has
made a point of being rude
and abusive to the Governor
and demands to remove the

P

International, Nnamdi Azikiwe
International airports are
national monuments of shame
and symbols of decay. The
Tincan and Apapa seaports are
clogged with far more traffic
than they were ever designed
to carry. Yankari Game Reserve
and other national parks
and recreation areas have
been terribly neglected and
our railroads are a running
bad joke. Drinking water
systems all over the country
are dated with rusty pipes
carrying contaminated water
into homes where it exists.
Most of the country, including
the overrated ghettoes of
Maitama in Abuja, Lekki in
Lagos, subsists on boreholes,
unregulated.
We can sit down in grand
delusion as the lame African
giant but the world has since
left us behind. At a time when
we should be playing catch-up
and invest significantly on new
infrastructure, our spending
on infrastructure is actually
tending towards zero. Of course,
we can’t have any extra money
to spend on infrastructure
when 70% of our earnings
go to support a bloated civil
service and greedy politicians.
The politicians are busy paying
themselves obscene salaries,
allowances and entitlement

“

packages while our national
infrastructure is literally falling
apart all around us. In the
course of my travel, I observed
the following about Nigeria’s
decaying infrastructure.
Where did we go wrong?
What is wrong is that we
have become a very materialistic
society that is obsessed with
primitive acquisition and extra
short-term thinking. Investing
in infrastructure involves longterm planning for everyone
– an exercise in majority good.
Unfortunately, Nigerians are
only concerned and focused on
what is happening right now and
on instant gratification.
We have become a “nownow” and “sharp-sharp” society
whose only concern is the
present with sufficient disregard
for the future. The politicians
are even better skilled than
those who elected them. They
are only focused on the next
election cycle and the stealing
or conversion of public funds.
They will rather pilfer our
commonwealth to buy private
jets and build golf courses
in the Belize or the Cayman
Islands than pave the road to
their villages. When contracts
are ever awarded, it is at
enormously inflated costs with
so much corruption and waste.
The government certainly

“Decaying infrastructure is symptomatic of
Nigeria’s decay as a country because we are
decaying in just about every other way that it is
possible for a society to decay. We are decaying
physically, morally, politically, mentally,
economically, emotionally and spiritually. This
country is a complete and total mess.

spends a lot of money, but very
little of that money is spent
wisely. A lot of the money that
could be going toward building
our infrastructure is stolen or
spent on outrageous salaries
and political jamborees. With
all the stealing going on, we do
not have the money we need for
maintaining and expanding the
nation’s infrastructural base.
We have to take up more debt if
we have to build infrastructure
at a time when the federal, state
and local governments are all
struggling to stay afloat in an
ocean of red ink.
While traveling, the
question that comes often to
my mind is – - Who cares?
There is unprecedented lead
poisoning in Northern Nigeria
threatening the neurological
wellbeing of children especially
in the state of Zamfara
due to unregulated mining
activities and lack of mining
infrastructure. Médecins Sans
Frontières (MSF), Centers for
Disease Control (CDC) and
World Health Organization
(WHO) are scrambling to
help while our leaders fiddle.
Scores of children are going
deaf, blind with promise
of future reproductive and
cognitive problems without our
government showing any care.
Who cares?
Who cares about the effect
of Bisphenol A (BPA) leaking
into our so-called pure water
(the choice of millions) from
the plastic? An alternative
people have taken to because
the government has failed to
guarantee safe drinking water to
its citizens.
Who cares about the
environmental impact of
indiscriminate borehole drilling

Dangers of partisan Nigeria Police
said Commissioner have
been ignored. The police even
attempted to stop former
Governor Goje from entering
Gombe on the grounds that
he had too many supporters
following him.
The police appear to be
systematically impeding the
process of political organisation
by the opposition while aiding
and abetting that of the PDP led
Governments. By so doing, they
are fast losing their neutrality.
The fear today is that we are
witnessing the dress rehearsal
in the use of the police as a
repressive tool to distort the
2015 elections. No wonder the

“

G7 Governors had to describe
the police as the armed wing of
the PDP.
The involvement and
employment of the police in
conducting partisan elections
will politicize the force and
make them lose credibility
in the eyes of Nigerians. It
will destabilize the efforts to
professionalise the police force.
The police authorities must rise
to the challenge of refusing to be
used as punitive and repressive
tools of the ruling political
party. The impact of partisan
intervention or non-intervention
by the police can be destructive
on our democracy.

“The police appear to be systematically
impeding the process of political
organisation by the opposition while
aiding and abetting that of the PDP led
Governments. By so doing, they are fast
losing their neutrality”.

This weekend, President
Goodluck Jonathan declared
in Guinea Bissau that the era
of military intervention in
politics in Africa is over. We
live in a continent where “it
is fashionable for the military
to embrace the protection,
preservation and total respect
for constitutional order and
democracy.” The President
is absolutely correct. For
law enforcement agencies
to continue to play their
constitutional role however,
it is imperative that they are
not used in a partisan manner.
Once they are pushed into
partisanship, they lose their
neutrality and can easily become
actors in the political game.
Those in power should avoid
playing with fire.
The fact of the matter is that
the Nigeria police face a political
and constitutional dilemma
because of the constitutional
provisions, which place the
control of the police on the
shoulders of an elected executive

and tapping of our finite
aquifers?
Who cares about the threat
of arsenic seeping into drinking
water from aquifers due to
hydraulic fracturing?
Who cares about the
dumping of toxic waste from
medical supplies, computers
and electronics with known
carcinogens in residential areas
without any form of expert
handling because the country
has no modern waste handling
and disposal infrastructure?
Who cares about toxic and
radioactive effluents discharged
daily by transnationals into the
lagoon and its effect on the food
chain and the ecosystem?
Who cares about the intense
desertification of our northern
fringes?
Who cares that factories have
relocated to Ghana in search of
stable electricity?
Our problems in Nigeria
are legion. Where do we begin?
Decaying infrastructure is
symptomatic of Nigeria’s
decay as a country because
we are decaying in just about
every other way that it is
possible for a society to decay.
We are decaying physically,
morally, politically, mentally,
economically, emotionally
and spiritually. This country
is a complete and total mess.
What is happening to our
infrastructure on the outside is
a reflection of what is happening
to Nigeria on the inside. We
are livin’ la vida loca. For how
long? Who cares? Get used to
rotting, crumbling and decaying
infrastructure. What is out
there right now is only just the
beginning.
Twitter @olufunmilayo,
olufunmilayo @ gmail.com
president who is also the leader
of his political party. Section 215
of the 1999 Constitution gives
powers to the president, acting
on the advice of the Nigeria
Police Council to appoint the
Inspector General of Police
(IGP).
Under sub-section 3 of
section 215 of the Constitution,
the president is also empowered
to give lawful directives with
respect to the maintenance of
law and order to the Inspector
General of Police and he shall
comply or cause them to be
complied with. There is an
equivalent provision in section
215 (4), which creates such
relationship between a State
Governor and a Commissioner
of Police but this is today
disregarded, at least for
Governors that are in the
opposition.
Our challenge is that the
constitutional framework we
have makes it possible, at least
in practice, for the President to
give an unlawful directive to the
police regarding public safety or
public order and the
cont on page 15

PAGE 14

PEOPLES DAILY, WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 13, 2013

Opinion

Political parties and legislative autonomy (I)
By Atiku Abubakar

I

t is remarkable that you are
having an Africa legislative
summit here at Abuja, Nigeria
in 2013. Fifteen years ago this
summit could not have taken
place here, and indeed in most
of Africa. Then, law-making in
large swaths of Africa was in the
hands of dictators, both military
and civilian. It is a significant
milestone that much of Africa
is under democratic rule today.
Given Nigeria’s significance in
Africa as a leader in the struggle
to end foreign rule and apartheid,
as guarantor of peace and as a
theatre in the struggle to end
dictatorial rule and restore
democracy, it is quite fitting that
you are holding this conference
here.
I sincerely thank Nigeria’s
National Assembly and its
National Institute for Legislative
Studies for hosting and organizing
this conference. A conference such
as this is vital for the growth and
development of democracy on
our continent. It will enable our
legislators to share experiences
across their boarders and borrow
best practices and avoid pitfalls
from the experiences of others.
It will hopefully enable healthy
interaction and sharing of
experiences and concerns among
legislators, business leaders,
government officials and other
interested parties.
I heartily welcome all the
delegates from our sister countries
in Africa and those who have
made the journey from the
Caribbean and other parts of the
world. I hope you will be enriched
by this conference and that you
will enjoy Nigeria’s hospitality.
Permit me to say that the topic
which has been assigned to me,
“Political Parties and Legislative
Autonomy,” is quite appropriate

and timely.
Many of Africa’s
democracies,
including
Nigeria’s, are
quite young
and, therefore,
have challenges
of defining the
boundaries
and contours
of their various
institutions,
including their
legislatures. Most
of our political
parties, especially
in multiparty
jurisdictions

are also rather young and are
grappling with issues of party
building, party structures,
internal democracy and the
nature of the relationship between
parties and members, legislatures
and political parties and political
parties and government as well as
among parties themselves. Such
challenges often lead to conflicts
among those institutions, agencies
and individuals. And those
conflicts are sometimes severe
enough to affect governance
and threaten the stability of the
polity. The recent (and indeed
ongoing) struggles between the
White House and the Republican
Party dominated House of
Representatives show that
conflicts between different arms
of government is not peculiar to
Africa or young democracies.
As any follower of Nigeria’s
young democracy knows, the
nature of the relationship
among the arms of government
have been quite challenging
as the various arms, especially
the legislature and executive,
struggle to understand their
role and powers, and vie for
“territory,”as it were. To be sure,
our democracy is young. But it

is also the case that we have not
often taken adequate steps to
deepen it. Clearly the legacy of
authoritarian rule has not yet been
overcome in Nigeria and many
other African countries. This is
not only because authoritarian
rule lasted very long in Nigeria
and other African countries but
also because many of the key
power wielders in our recent
history continue to play important
roles in the continuing transition
to democratic rule. Therefore,
the vestiges of intolerance of
opposition and criticism remain
quite strong. Also the structure of
African economies, with the state
as the most important source of
economic opportunity, heightens
the struggle for state power and
helps to shape the relationship
between parties and members,
among parties and among the
various arms of government.
Political Parties and LawMaking
Law-making by the people’s
representatives in a multi-party
political system is one way to
enthrone democratic rule and
deepen democracy. Under the
system, political parties, made
up of people who share broadly

similar
visions and
ideas about
governing
society,
contest for
power. Thus
political
parties are
critical for
democratic
governance.
They provide
spaces for the
articulation
of ideas and
visions for the
governance
of society

for members who broadly
share similar visions and ideas.
Properly organized and managed,
political parties would be vehicles
for citizen participation in the
political process, the organizing
centres of discourse, debates,
and contentions by members
and consensus moulding for
core positions. Through their
mechanisms for member
interaction, debates, contests
and even discipline, parties try
to get their interests represented
in the legislature. Internal
democracy in political parties
is, therefore, critical to allow for
free expressions by all members
and for various tendencies to find
space for expression.
Thus, political parties are
not monoliths; they often
contain individuals and groups
with varying tendencies, ideas,
interests and aspirations. In
multi-ethnic, multi-religious
societies such tendencies,
interests and aspirations
sometimes take on ethnic,
religious, regional and, of course,
class dimensions. This is why, as
many Nigerians know, I have been
a strong advocate of a two party
system for Nigeria, a country

which has these aforementioned
fault lines. A two-party system
would help to narrow differences
among parties as a great deal
of differences would already be
sorted out within each party.
Through legislation political
leaders seek to give legal backing
to their vision of society, their
programmes and policies. The
legislative process allows the
vision, programmes and policies
of one party, group or individual
to contest against those of others.
The oversight function of the
legislature is another avenue
for parties to ensure that their
vision of society, as expressed in
legislation, is adhered to.
In presidential systems,
the autonomy of the three
arms of government is deemed
important for checks and
balances and accountability. In
parliamentary systems, where
the members of the cabinet are
also members of the legislature,
legislative autonomy assumes
a different form. In that system
the parliament is supreme. The
autonomy of the different arms
to carry out their functions is
essential because they have
specific functions assigned to
them by the constitution. It
would be inappropriate, for
instance, for the Executive
and Judiciary which have the
responsibilities to execute and
interpret the laws respectively, to
unduly interfere in the manner
in which the laws are made. That
is why some independence of
the law-making arm is essential.
Atiku Abubakar, GCON, is
former Vice President, Federal
Republic of Nigeria and made
this Presentation at the Plenary
Session of the Africa Legislative
Summit 2013, organized by
the National Assembly at the
International Conference Centre,
Abuja.

IDB Loans: The tactlessness of ‘Save Adamawa State Movement’
By Yakubu Musa

C

ondemnable intolerance,
pettiness and bigotry is
what Save Adamawa State
Movement (SASM) seem to
represent. Just like a militant
group, it is claiming to salvage
Adamawa but it is the one in
dare need of salvation, and it
needs to be salvaged fast, before
it drags the people of Adamawa
to the brink.
Many people in Adamawa
are today trying to figure out
the sense and rationale in
one of the reasons given by
SASM, which is trying to stop
a loan for Adamawa state
Government from the Islamic
Development Bank (IDB),
for the construction of three
Science Secondary Schools,
evenly spread among the three
senatorial zones of the state.
SASM, under the pretext
of constitutionality, said
Adamawa, being “a multi

religious and multi-ethnic state,
highly sensitive or volatile
on religious issues” must not
get the loan from IDB being
an Islamic Bank! How can
anybody with common sense
conclude that science schools
built for Christian and Muslim
students with an interest free
loan from an Islamic bank
could constitute a threat? This
is a big low for any group that
thinks that way and such group

“

can best be described as the
new face of militancy.
Militants will also hope
and pray that SASM succeeds
in its quest so as to gather the
needed momentum to take on
President Goodluck Jonathan
for including Adamawa state
among beneficiaries of Federal
Government 64 Almajiri
schools knowing fully well that
the state is “highly sensitive
and volatile as regards religious

under the pretext of
constitutionality, said Adamawa,
being “a multi religious and
multi-ethnic state, highly sensitive
or volatile on religious issues”
must not get the loan from IDB
being an Islamic Bank

issues!
On a serious note, members
of SASM need to know that
relying on ethno-religious
sentiments as a life crutch at
the slightest opportunity to
score political gains, no longer
excites the public. What the
public needs now, are justice,
peace and good governance.
If an Islamic, Christian, Pagan
or Idol Bank can offer loans to
support good governance and
service delivery, it should be
collected without qualms.
What will SASM say for last
week’s subscription to Islamic
Bond known as Sukuk by the
British Prime Minister, David
Cameron, a leader of a Christian
dominated country? It is also on
record that Anambra, Niger and
Gombe states of Nigeria have
benefited from IDB loans as well
as Nigeria as a nation.
Nobody says interest groups
should not probe or criticize
government activities. Vibrant

opposition is always a welcome
development in a democracy,
but a situation where some
people cannot offer it without
petty sentiments is totally
unacceptable.
Adamawa comprise
Christians, Muslims and many
tribes. You find intermarriage
between Muslims and
Christians in Adamawa just
as you find Muslims and
Christian from the same family
and tribes. This decision by
God that made Adamawa
so wonderful should not be
threaten by any group under
whatever guise.
In great Adamawa, we
celebrated the Centenary of
Modibbo Adamawa, and so
also in great Adamawa we
celebrated the Centenary of
Lutheran Church of Christ in
Nigeria, where both Muslims
and Christians congratulated
each other for the successes in
cont on page 15

PEOPLES DAILY, WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 13, 2013

PAGE 15

Comment

Mark, Tambuwal, Maikasuwa and the new NASS
By Austin Asadu

A

s governmental
institutions go, the
National Assembly
is unique as it consists of a
political and administrative
leadership with regular staff and
political aides numbering over
7,000 consisting of directorates,
departments and committees
both standing and ad-hoc. With
this complex organizational
scenario, tension and contention
has arisen in the past between
the political and administrative
leadership with allegations of
high handedness, imposition,
despotism disloyalty and
insubordination ruling the
waves.
Fortunately, the present 7th
National Assembly has been
marked by a refreshingly high
degree of trust, mutual cooperation, loyalty, camaraderie,
respect for constituted authority,
transparency, accountability
and due process in the conduct
of legislative, administrative,
operational duties and functions.
The relationship between
the political and administrative
leadership has been remarkably
free of rancour, acrimony,
tension, discord or contention
as both arms work in patriotic
tandem and unison geared
towards moving both the
National Assembly in particular
and the nation in general to
optimum heights. One of the
principal reasons responsible
for the cordial relationship
between the two critical arms
of the NASS leadership lies
in the profile, personality,
character trait, academic and
professional experience, vision
and leadership exemplar of
the political arm led by the
Chairman of the National

Assembly and President of
the Senate, Dr. Alechenu
Bonaventure David Mark,
(GCFR) the Vice Chairman,
the Speaker of the House of
Representatives, Dr. Aminu
Waziri Tambuwal (CFR) and
the administrative leadership
superintended by the Clerk to
the National Assembly, Alhaji
Salisu Abubakar Maikasuwa
(OON).
For one, Senator David
Mark is a highly experienced,
skillfully motivated, dedicatedly
patriotic and supremely mature
and confident elder statesman
who has served the country in
numerous capacities as a gallant
soldier, governor, minister and
presently fourth term senator
as well as Senate President for a
record shattering two terms. At
critical periods in the nation’s
history, Dr. David Mark has
stood out to be counted as a
steadfast patriot and stalwart
leader who against all odds
resisted the forces of atavism
and reaction bent on tearing the
country apart. Most famously
in the tenuous last days of the
ailing President Umaru Musa
Yar’Adua, a courageous and
forthright Senator David Mark
authored the iconic ‘doctrine
of necessity’ resolution which

“

paved the way for the ascension
to power of then Vice President,
Dr. Goodluck Jonathan. Many
both within and outsiders
Nigeria’s shores hailed the
adroit leadership and dexterous
statesmanship of Dr. David
Mark at that crucial period of
the nation’s history which went
a long way in stabilizing and
consolidating democracy for
generations to come.
On his own part, the
venerable Speaker of the
House of Representatives,
Alhaji Aminu Tambuwal, has
made his mark as a first class
legal luminary and eminent
jurist who rose to the top most
position in the House through
overwhelming support of a
bi-partisan consensus that
decided he was the best man
for the job without regard to
party, primordial or sectional
considerations. As House
Speaker, Rt Hon. Aminu
Tambuwal has not disappointed
his teeming supporters both
within and outside the Assembly
as he continues to relentlessly
champion the cause of the
poor and disenfranchised in
society. He has led a proactive
and vibrant House to beam its
search light on the activities
of the MDAs in order to

“With this complex organizational
scenario, tension and contention
has arisen in the past between
the political and administrative
leadership with allegations of high
handedness, imposition, despotism
disloyalty and insubordination ruling
the waves”.

ensure that waste, fraud,
mismanagement and corruption
be drastically, weeded out
from the system. His activist
and egalitarian posture has
definitely earned him some
hardened adversaries in the
nation’s bureaucracy, but
seasoned political observers
have noted that as far as he
continues to serve the ends of
fairness, equity and justice, he
may not have anything to fear
from those whose ox he has had
to gore in the process of moving
the House and the nation to the
next level.
As the head of the
administrative arm of the
National Assembly, a seasoned
Alhaji Salisu Maikasuwa,
himself a distinguished alumnus
of NIPSS, Kuru, Jos, has so
far demonstrated a keen sense
of institutional, bureaucratic
and administrative acumen,
foresight, diligence and
fortitude and has never allowed
any personal or pecuniary
interest to interfere with his
avowed goals of transforming
the nation’s apex legislature to
meet the exacting standards
of even the most advanced
and most accomplished
parliaments in the ancient
democracies of the global order.
The revolutionary approach
he has adopted in entrenching
transparency and due process
in the system of promotions,
staff deployments, contract
awards and procurements has
earned him deserved kudos
from stakeholders, editorialist
and apparatchiks alike. While
maintaining a cordial and
friendly tone with all across the
political divide, an impartial
Alhaji Maikasuwa has adopted
a strictly apolitical stance
favouring none at all which has

earned him grudging respect
and even admiration from all
the political actors and factions
that crisscross the National
Assembly landscape.
What has actually
crystallized the smooth
working relationship between
Alhaji Salisu Maikasuwa and
his political superiors has
to do with the semblance in
character, intellectual mien
and comportment of the CNA
and the Chairman and ViceChairman of the National
Assembly. Dr. David Mark,
Barr. Aminu Tambuwal and
Alhaji Salisu Maikasuwa have
a refreshingly enlightened
approach to legislative and
administrative business,
running an open door policy
whereby views, opinion; even
dissenting ones are welcome
and even encouraged as a way
of gauging the mood of the
staff and citizens at large. The
dynamic trio is intellectually
sound, agile and adept at
ventilating and distilling
ideas, policies and programs
geared towards enhancing
organizational and institutional
effectiveness and efficiency.
Another positive attribute of
the heads of the two arms of
the NASS has to do with their
deep patriotic fervour and
commitment to the unity and
stability of the Nigerian State
and have gone a long way
in enthroning multi-ethnic,
multi-lingual, multi-sectional
and multi-cultural harmony,
co-operation, tolerance and
dialogue throughout the length
and breadth of the NASS
landscape.
Austin Asadu, a Public Affairs
Consultant, wrote in from Garki
Abuja.

IDB Loans: The tactlessness of ‘Save Adamawa State Movement’
cont from page 14

gospel activities and peaceful
coexistence of the two religious
bodies.
What we need in Adamawa
is peace, tolerance and dialogue
in settling our differences and
not somebody or group would
promote divisibility.
Inspector General of Police, who
is employed by him, and has
power to dismiss him, is likely
to obey. More likely, we may
be witnessing the leadership
of the police going out of their
constitutional role to please a
President to whom they feel
grateful for their appointment.
Whatever the situation, we
cannot grow and consolidate our
democracy if we do not develop a
non-partisan police system.
During the First Republic, the
NPC regime of Tafawa Balewa
declared a State of Emergency
in the Western Region to give
the police full “freedom” to

Infact, the recent launching
of the Social Re-integration
Group (SOREG) in Adamawa,
to promote tolerance and check
the excesses of bigots from all
sides of the divide came at the
right time. SOREG needs to hit
the ground running now that we
have a self appointed watchdog

group trying to provide people
with something sentimental to
worry about even if that does
not get the people anywhere.
My advice to SASM is that,
if it really wishes Adamawa
well, then it must stop dragging
religion into politics. It should
realise that sowing sentiments

under any guise is an ill wind
that blows nobody any good.
Christianity says, “Love thy
neigbour as you love thyself”,
while Islam says, “Whoever
does not love for his brother
what he loves for himself is not
a true Muslim”. Both religions
preach love and tolerance. Love

Dangers of partisan Nigeria Police
harass the opposition. In the
North, the Native Authority
Police was used as an instrument
to harass and intimidate the
opposition and these practices
played a major role in eroding
the legitimacy of the democratic
order leading to regime collapse.
During the Second Republic,
the police were also used to
intimidate the leadership of the
opposition states and state police
commissioners acted as if they
were alternate governors posted
to impose the “federal might”.

This created a huge political
anomaly as state governors are
supposed to be in charge of
peace, security, law and order in
their states.
It is easy for the President
to abuse his powers through
using the police for partisan
political interference but the
result is that the whole system
becomes discredited and
prone to collapse. This is why
Presidents must be very careful
about how they deploy powers
available to them in ways that are

not compatible with the rule of
law. The Police Act is clear that
the function of the police is to
maintain law and order in a nonpartisan manner.
We all have an interest in
deepening democracy and
consolidating the Fourth
Republic. Using the police
correctly is a key element in
this regard. The relationship
between the police and elected
public officers must be clearly in
conformity with the principles
of the rule of law. The loyalty of

is the weapon of the future, we
should try to outdo each other in
showering love and not hate.
Finally, people of Adamawa
deserve their existing peace.
Yakubu Musa, writes
from Yolde-Pâté Ward, Yola
South Local Government Area,
Adamawa state
the police must be to the country
and not to the serving President.
The President appoints the IGP,
but the mode of appointment
notwithstanding, it is imperative
that the police should be loyal
only to the Nigerian state and the
people and not to the transient
functionaries that appoint them.
Regardless of the manner
of appointment, the IG and his
subordinates need to develop
a democratic and republican
attitude to their duties as officers
of the law and not agents of the
person that appointed them.
Ibrahim writes from Abuja.

PEOPLES DAILY, WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 13, 2013

PAGE 16

National
Dialogue:
FCTA receives
committee today
By Stanley Onyekwere

T

Young men hawking different wares, yesterday at Nyanya, in Abuja.

Photo: Mahmud Isa

Abuja land scam:
NSCDC denies complicity
By Tobias Lengnan Dapam

T

he Nigeria Security and
Civil
Defence
Corps
(NSCDC)
yesterday
claimed that the 61 houses
and other property recently
confiscated by the Independent
Corrupt Practice Commission
(ICPC) in Abuja, does not belong
to the corps but rather to some
indicted officers currently under
investigation and prosecution by

ICPC.
The media had last week
reported that the ICPC seized
61 houses and 45 plots of land
from NSCDC officials over cases
of land racketeering in FCT and
Nasarawa state respectively.
NSCDC in a statement by its
Corps Public Relations Officer
(CPRO), Emmanuel Okeh, said
that the Commandant General
of the paramilitary agency has
reiterated that the organisation

was not involved in sales of land
and had never at any point in time
delegated persons, organisations
or agents to do so on its behalf.
The statement reads: “The
Corps would like to make it
unequivocally clear that the afore
mentioned 61 houses and other
property seized by the ICPC does
not belong to NSCDC but rather
to some indicted officers who
are currently under investigation
and prosecution by ICPC as the

seized property are assumed to be
acquired from the proceeds of the
illegal land sales by the scammers.
“The public may wish to note
that the Commandant General,
upon discovery of the illicit
practice, personally took the
case to ICPC for an independent
investigation and prosecution as
part of his resolve to rid the Corps
of bad eggs that may contaminate
the system built over the years on
incorruptible foundation.”

Cleric tasks Christians on sacrifice, righteousness

T

he Supervising Priest of
the Catholic Church of
Annunciation
Outstation,
Kubwa, Abuja, Rev. Fr. Joseph
Olisa, has urged Christians to make
greater sacrifices and show more
commitment in the defence of their
faith and do what is right.
Olisa, gave the charge during

an interview with newsmen when
the church held her 2013 Harvest
Thanksgiving and Bazaar, recently.
According to the cleric,
developments in society today tend
to weaken ``our faith in God and
our commitment to the Christian
faith; but we must not despair but
rather make greater sacrifices in the

defence of this faith we profess.”
Olisa said such strength to
defend the Christian faith and
insistence on doing the right things
could be drawn from persistent
praises and prayers to God.
“The message to our
congregation and all Christians
during this harvest is for them to

remain steadfast, honest and faithful
to God at all times,’’ he said.
The News Agency of Nigeria
(NAN) reports that the grand
finale of the church’s harvest and
bazaar theme with theme: “harvest
of praise” featured thanksgiving
procession by various groups and
societies in the church. (NAN)

he Federal Capital Territory
Administration
(FCT)
would today receive the
Advisory Committee on National
Dialogue, as it holds public
hearing in Abuja, during which
the administration is expected to
present 20 recommendations for
consideration during the dialogue
proper.
According to the FCT minister,
Senator Bala Mohammed, who
disclosed this on Monday, when
he received a report of an FCT
Steering Committee on National
Dialogue, in his office at Area 11,
Garki, said the proposed dialogue
would provide an avenue for FCT
residents to air their views.
The minister had on November
5 constituted a 26-member FCT
Steering Committee on National
Dialogue, led by former Minister
of FCT, Dr. Aliyu Moddibo, to
come up with recommendations
on problems faced by the city
since its creation.
A statement by the Chief
Press Secretary to the minister,
Muhammad Hazat Sule, said
the minister who showered
encomiums on the committee
for timeliness, resourcefulness
and credible work done, added
that the leadership role of the
chairman of the committee was
commendable.
“FCT is a miniature Nigeria,
the rights of all Nigerians will
continue to be protected through
justice and equity; adding that
rights and privileges of residents
will continue to be guaranteed”,
the statement said.
Earlier, Moddibo disclosed
that top on the recommendation
list was adequate funding for
the FCTA to develop its capital
infrastructure,
resettlement
and compensation, as well as
employment opportunities for
original inhabitants.
It would be recalled that
President GoodLuck Jonathan
inaugurated the Na tional
Dialogue Advisory Committee on
October 7 to examine and resolve
long standing problems hindering
nation-building efforts.

FOI Act: Court dismisses suit against Bwari Area Council

A

n FCT High Court yesterday dismissed
a lawsuit filed by an Abuja-based
company, Rym Property Ltd that
accused Bwari Area Council and the chairman
of violating the Freedom of Information
(FOI) Act.
Delivering judgment on the suit, Justice
Yusuf Halilu held that the information sought
by the plaintiff did not fall within the FOI Act.
Haliru held that the refusal of the
Chairman of the Council to forward to the

plaintiff the law setting up the council does
not amount to violation of the FOI Act.
In dismissing the suit for lacking of merit,
the judge said: ``What has that (FOI Act)
got to do with the issue in disputes? At best,
the plaintiff herein is a busy body that has no
cause of action against the defendants.
“I shall dismiss the suit for reasons
advance above. I so hold.”
It will be recalled that the plaintiff had
on April 24 sued the defendants through its

counsel, Mr Musa Abdulmuminu, praying
the court to declare that the defendants
wrongfully denied him client access to
information he requested through a letter
dated March 13.
He said that on February 8, a Toyota Bus
belonging to the plaintiff was forcibly stopped
by agents of the defendants.
“They removed the vehicle number plate
because the vehicle had no waste basket;
and they forced my client to pay N2, 000

in fine and N4, 000 for the waste basket,’’
Abdulmuminu said.
He said that a letter was forwarded to the
defendants on March 13 requesting for the
law setting up Bwari Area Council.
“The letter also requested for the law
permitting the area council to carry out
vehicle inspection,’’ the counsel said.
He added that the defendants failed to
provide the required information as provided
by the FOI Act. (NAN)

PEOPLES DAILY, WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 13, 2013

Metro
PAGE 17

Stranded members of the Dino Melaye led Anti-Corruption Network when security personnel prevented them from holding their Colloquium on Freedom of
Information Act 2011 (FOIA): Demystifying the Complexities, yesterday at the Nicon Luxury Hotel, in Abuja.

A middle-aged man waiting for alms outside Federal Secretariat, in Abuja, recently.
A young girl hawking snacks, recently at Area 11, in Abuja

Some of the security personnel at the Nicon Luxury Hotel, yesterday
in Abuja.

he police have arraigned
a
prophet,
Olasibekan
Olayemi, 22, of Utako village,
Abuja, in a Karu Upper Area Court
in the FCT, for alleged cheating and
possession of fake dollars.
The prosecutor, Cpl. Isreal
Nongo, told the court that one Bolaji
Iman of Airport Junction Road,
Abuja, lodged a report against the
accused at the Apo Police Station
on November 1.
He also said that Olayemi
deceived Iman and Iman’s friend,

Ahmed Isa, by introducing himself
to them as a prophet sometime in
October.
Nongo alleged that Olayemi
showed the complainants fake
4,200 dollars (about N672, 000)
and deceitfully collected the sum
of N500, 000 and N250, 000
respectively from them.
He alleged that during
investigation, Olayemi admitted to
collecting the said fake U.S. dollars
from his boss, one Somi of Ekiti
State.

The prosecutor said the offences
contravened sections 324 and 319
of the Penal Code, but Olayemi
denied the charges.
The defence counsel, Mr.
Tajudeen Adebite, applied for bail
for his client, assuring the court that
a reliable surety would be provided
if bail was granted.
Nongo, however, opposed
the bail, saying that the man the
accused claimed to have collected
the fake dollars from was still at
large and bail might distort police

investigations.
He also said that cheating by
personation, which attracts five
years’ imprisonment, was not an
ordinarily bailable offence.
The Presiding Judge, Alhaji
Umar Kagarko, admitted the
accused to bail in the sum of
N800,000 with a surety in like
sum.
Kagarko said the surety must
reside within the jurisdiction of the
court, and adjourned the case to
Jan. 15 for hearing. (NAN)

Man jailed 8 weeks for attempting to steal

A

Karu Chief Magistrates’
Court has sentenced a
55-year-old electrician,
George
Gaude,
to
eight
weeks
imprisonment
for
housebreaking and an attempt
to steal.
The magistrate, Mrs. Hadiza
Shagari, sentenced Gaude after
he pleaded guilty to one count
of criminal trespass.

She, however, gave the
convict an option to pay N2,
000 in fine.
The convict admitted to
entering the house of the
complainant, Segun Amos, with
the intention of stealing.
“I was informed by my eldest
child that my wife is sick and on
admission in hospital.
“I had no option than to

attempt to burgle his house
(complainants) when I noticed
he had gone to work to see if I
could steal something to sell. “I
beg never to repeat such offence
again; it was the devil that
pushed me,’’ Gaude said.
The prosecutor, Cpl Pascal
Njoku, had earlier told the court
that the convict trespassed into
the house of the complainant

who is a federal civil servant in
an attempt to steal.
Njoku said the convict was
arrested by neighbours who
noticed strange noise coming
from the house, knowing that
the complainant had gone to
work.
He said the neighbours
raised an alarm which led to the
arrest of the convict. (NAN)

Court issues warrant for arrest of accused, surety

J

ustice Maryann Anenih of an
FCT High Court has issued a
bench warrant for the arrest
of one Sunday Chukwu and his
surety, Chima Okechukwu.
Anenih issued the warrant
at the resumed hearing of the
case as Chukwu, an accused,
and his surety, Okechukwu,
failed to appear before the court
to explain reasons for their
absence.
She also revoked a bail
earlier granted to the accused

and ordered for unconditional
appearance.
“In view of the fact that the
accused failed to appear for his
trial, the court hereby issues
a bench warrant against the
accused and his surety.
“He is ordered to appear
before this court and show cause
for his failure to attend his trial,”
the judge said.
Anenih, therefore, adjourned
the case to November 19 for
continuation of hearing.

Chukwu was arraigned
by the EFCC on a two-count
charge of cheating and obtaining
N350,000 under false pretext.
Earlier, counsel to EFCC,
Mrs Mary Onoja, told the court
that the case was slated for
continuation of hearing, adding
that the accused was not in court.
“My lord, we presented a
production warrant to Kuje
Prison for his release, but we
received information that the
accused was released on bail

sometime in August.
“And from the record we have
here, one Chima Okechukwu sign
the bail bond on behalf of the
accused; we also have evidence
to show that the letters came
from FCT High Court.
“My
lord,
in
the
circumstances, we pray the court
to issue a bench warrant against
him, revoke his bail and order
him to appear unfailingly to
face his trial,” Onoja submitted.
(NAN)

former employee of John
Holt PLC, Mr. Echezona
Nzeribe, has dragged the
company before the National
Industrial Court, Abuja, alleging
unlawful dismissal.
Nzeribe, who was an area
manager of the company, told the
court that he had worked with the
company for 15 years before his
dismissal.
He told the court that he was
suspended in June 2012 by the
defendant over alleged sale of the
company’s generator valued at
N2 million by the sales manager.
The
claimant
further
explained that the sales manager
failed to remit the money to the
company’s account.
Nzeribe
alleged
that
the
defendant
suspended
him without given him the
opportunity to defend himself
contrary to the provision of the
company’s staff manual.
He is also praying the court to
order the defendant to reinstate
him and pay all his salaries and
The Presiding Judge, Justice
Peter Lifu, fixed December 5
for hearing, and ordered that
all court paper be served on the
defendants. (NAN)

Police arraign 3
men for alleged
house breaking,
theft

T

he police have arraigned
Abubakar Musa, 18; Hassan
Sani, 20, and a 17-yearold boy in a Mararaba Senior
Magistrates’ Court for criminal
conspiracy, house breaking and
theft.
The accused, all of Angwan
Albarka, Mararaba, are accused of
breaking into a house belonging
to Mr Hassan Adamu in Angwan
Albarka and stealing 18-inch
plasma.
They are also accused of
stealing a TV, Bajay motorcycle, a
Nokia C5 and a DVD player.
The prosecutor, Cpl. Samuel
Okoro, told the court that the
matter was reported by Hassan
Adamu at the Sani Abacha Road
Police Station on October 28.
Okoro said that the offences
contravened sections 347 and 288
of the Penal Code, but the accused
pleaded not guilty to the charges.
The Senior Magistrate, Mr.
Jeremiah Danladi, admitted
the accused to bail in the sum of
N100,000 each and a credible
surety in like sum.
Danladi ordered that the
surety must reside within the
jurisdiction of the court, and
adjourned the case to Nov. 13 for
continuation of hearing. (NAN)

he
South/South-South/
East Development Group
(SSSEDG) has appealed
to President Goodluck Jonathan
to stop the ongoing quest by
the Minister of Trade and
Investment, Dr Olusegun Aganga
from reconcessioning the Lagos
International Trade Fair Complex
even while the initial effort is yet
to be fully consummated.
Speaking at a press conference

yesterday, the group alleged
that the minister was making
fresh efforts to reconcession the
privatization and concession
of the Trade Fair complex even
though the exercise was duly
completed and handed over to
new owners.
Leader of the group, Prince
Elias Odoemena, said due
process was followed in the
transaction completed by two
former President Chief Olusegun
Obasanjo, late President Umaru

Musa Ya’Adua and President
Jonathan (then Vice President
and Chairman of National Council
on Privatization NPC).
“It is surprising that after the
Consortium Aulic Nigeria Limited
had fully paid the required entry
fee and commencement fees and
had their concession agreement
signed by all concerned in 2007,
Dr Aganga has commenced fresh
moves to revisit an issue that was
concluded and sealed by the two
former presidents,” he said.

AfDB launches e-consultation
on its new governance strategy

T

he African Development
Bank (AfDB) has launched
a Web consultation on its
new Governance Strategy for
2014-2018, aimed at receiving
feedback from all its stakeholders
on their expectations on the
Bank’s
future
governance
interventions.
“The vision of AfDB is that
Africa is governed by transparent,
accountable
and
responsive
governments
with
strong
institutions that are capable of
driving inclusive and sustainable
growth,” said Lobe Ndoumbe,
Governance
and
Financial
management Director, at the

launch of the web consultation.
AfDB’s
new
governance
strategy is based on the AfDB
Group’s Strategy for 20132022 in which governance and
accountability are among the
core operational priorities, to be
mainstreamed across the Bank.
AfDB’s “Governance Strategic
Direction and Action Plan 20142018” (GAP II) is built on three
objectives. It seeks to strengthen
governments’
capacity
for
transparent and accountable use
of public resources and citizens’
ability to hold governments to
account.
It also seeks to improve

outcomes in the sectors and
citizen’s ability to monitor them. It
also aims at promoting a business
enabling environment which
supports Africa’s socio-economic
transformation, job creation and
financial inclusion. The fight
against corruption in both the
public and private sectors will
prevail in all its operations.
Through its web consultation,
AfDB seeks to inform all
stakeholders on its proposed
governance strategic directions
for 2014-2018 and to receive
feedback on their expectations
on
its
future
governance
interventions. (Source: AfDB)

According to the group, the
Aganga’s move to hand over the
Trade Fair Complex to another
company would embarrassed
Nigeria before the international
community, adding that the action
if it is eventually accomplished
was capable of portraying
the country as unserious and
therefore unstable for business to
thrive.
The group said that Aganga’s
interference in the process had
been affecting the smooth take
off by the consortium that won
the complex and their foreign
partners, adding that the
consortium might be forced to
seek legal redress if the minister
was not called to order.
Peoples Daily’s efforts to reach
the minister or any of his aides for
their reaction proved abortive.

FirstBank
expands its
pan-African
footprint
- Pg 22
Exchange Rates

CBN as at 11th November, 2013
Buying

Selling

$

154.71

155.71

€

247.45

£

207.26 208.60

Riyal

41.25

41.51

YEN

1.56

1.57

CFA

0.297

0.317

249.05

MANAGEMENT TIP OF THE DAY
How much are you really
helping?

W

e’re asked to help in
almost every sphere of life
-- as leaders, colleagues,
friends, and family members –
but there is a difference between
providing help and inflicting it.
Even with the best of intentions,
sometimes your assistance will just
make things worse. Here are three
kinds of “help” to avoid giving:
The wrong help. Sometimes
the only relief you can give isn’t
actually what’s needed – offering
management, for example, when
leadership is what’s necessary.

The right help at the wrong time.
For help to be useful, the recipients
must be ready for it. It’s easy to
misread openness as an invitation,
but providing assistance before it
has been asked for is ultimately
counterproductive.
The right help, but too much of it. If
you offer support and it’s received
with gratitude, you may not know
when to stop. Stay attuned to
recipients’ ability to make effective
use of your services, and stop when
they’re no longer helpful.
Source: Harvard Business Review

PAGE 20

Business

PEOPLES DAILY, WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 13, 2013

Abiola-Edewor is ED Corporate
Services, not Communication-NDIC
By Etuka Sunday

C o m m u n i c a t i o n
Department
as
was
reported.
In a statement issued by
the Head, Communication
and Public Affairs, the
Corporation said “our
attention was drawn to
the report on our Special
Day at the just concluded
2013 Lagos International
Trade Fair under the
headlines: ‘NDIC embarks
on rebranding initiative, to
meet mandate’.”
The statement said
“the report which was
published on page 8 of
Friday, November 8, 2013
edition of your newspaper
erroneously
described
our Executive Director

NPA applauds company
for managing ship wastes

T

he Nigerian Ports
Authority
(NPA)
on
Tuesday
commended the efforts of
the African Circle Pollution
Management (ACPM) in
managing waste generated
by ships in international
and coastal voyages.
Capt.
Iheanocho
Ebubeogu,
General
Manager, Public Affairs,
NPA, told the News Agency
of Nigeria (NAN) in Lagos
that ACPM had been able to
contain wastes from ships
and prevent environmental
pollution.
“Since 2003 the
company was engaged for
a 20-year contract and it
has been working within
stipulated environmental
protection
convention,
MARPOL
72/78,
in
evacuating wastes from
ships,” Ebubeogu said.
He said the ports owned,
managed and administered
by
the
NPA
were
International
Maritime
Organisation(IMO) solar
spots because they hosted
safety convention for ships
engaged in international
and coastal voyages.
Ebubeogu said since
IMO stood on four trusts
of
safety,
maritime
security,
environmental
protection and human
factors in shipping, the
NPA was ensuring that
ships’ operations did not
impact negatively on the
environment.
“As IMO solar spots,
the NPA ensures standard
environmental protection
by engaging professionals
in evacuating the wastes
from these ships.
“It is the approved
manner recommended by
the IMO that warranted
the port reception facility
outfit that NPA initiated as a

public-private partnership.
“The NPA has this
facility in all the ports
to make sure that both
liquid and solid wastes are
disposed according to the
regulations,” he said.
Ebubeogu said it was
important
to
control
pollution from the source
since nature did not mark
out management limits for
different organisations.
“When the tide flows it
can carry any pollution from
one point to another. This
can cause encroachment,
but there should be control
from the source or origin of
the waste,” he said.
Ebubeogu said that with
NPA’s ‘Tier 2’ pollution
control and management
status, it was required to
have all it took to contain
pollution originating from
its own limit.
He explained that a
“Tier 1”status demanded
the NPA to ensure that
marine platforms within the
environment had the facility
to contain pollution within.
“We maintain the waste
management
standards
because
without
such
facility, the ships would be
tempted to dispose their
waste overboard.
‘’So we ensure that Tier
1 and Tier 2 are contained,”
Ebubeogu said. (NAN)
He said the ACPM also
made efforts at various
times to keep clearing the
marine environment of
hyacinth pollution.
“The company still
works to push the water
hyacinths which come from
River Majidun in Ikorodu
and other places to where
they are able to take them
off to avoid pollution of the
environment,” Ebubeogu
said.(NAN).

he
International
Monetary Fund (IMF)
has concluded the
first review of programmes
supported by its Policy
Support Instrument (PSI) in
Uganda, an official has said
yesterday.
Ms Ana Coronel, Leader
of an IMF team that visited
Kampala, stated this in
a report at the end of the
mission.
She said that the team
met with critical economic
stakeholders in Uganda
during the review.
“The more than five
per cent economic growth
recovery
was
driven
by
public
investment,
private
consumption
and stronger activity in
telecommunications.
“The
recovery
has
been supported by a
strong fiscal stance based
on
implementation
of
investment projects,’’ he said.
Coronel said that growth
was projected at more than
six per cent in 2013 while
inflation was within the target
of programme.
“The economic outlook is
favourable, with low inflation
and higher growth, market
confidence is set to induce
some recovery in credit to the
private sector.
“Significant investment in
hydropower and road projects
is expected to stimulate
employment and help bring
output closer to potential
while addressing critical
infrastructure bottlenecks.’’
She said the mission
welcomed the reinforcement
of Bank of Uganda’s
independence.

PEOPLES DAILY, WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 13, 2013

PAGE 21

Pension&insurance

NAICOM, NHIS partner on indemnity cover
From Ngozi Onyeakusi, Lagos

T

he National Insurance
Commission has resolve
to partner the National
Health
Insurance
Scheme
(NHIS) to offer health insurance.
Consequent
upon
this,
new medical centres may
have to provide evidence of
the
mandatory
Healthcare
Professional
Indemnity
Insurance cover to be accredited
NHIS.
This
becomes
necessary
to ensure full compliance by
medical practitioners with the
law mandating them to take such
cover.
Speaking on this after a
meeting with agencies at the
instance of the Commission, the
Commissioner for Insurance,
Fola Daniel, said the collaboration

has become imperative in view of
the need to protect and
provide succour to innocent
victims from the errors and
mistakes by medical personnel
that may result in death and
permanent disability, among
others, in the course of
performing their duties.
Daniel, who was represented
by
the
Deputy
Director,
Authorisation and Policy, Mr
Leonard Akah, told the meeting
of the Commission’s efforts at
ensuring compliance with the
provision of the NHIS laws by
healthcare providers as it
affects the mandatory insurance
cover for such medical providers
registered with the NHIS.
He highlighted the benefits
of such insurance cover for the
innocent third parties, and also
the
healthcare provider. He
however, urged the NHIS to

collaborate with the Commission
by ensuring that all medical
centres registered under it,
comply with this aspect of the law,
noting that the NHIS could make
it a precondition for the issuance
of certificate of registration to
medical centres.
The
Acting
Executive
Secretary
of
NHIS,
Dr.
Abdulrahman Sambo,
said
the meeting between the two
agencies could not have come at
a better time.
He expressed the desire of the
scheme towards the successful
collaboration with NAICOM for
the enforcement of the NHIS
laws on insurance.
Sambo said out of a total
number of 3000 medical centres
registered with the NHIS across
the country, less than five per cent
actually have the professional
indemnity cover in place for their

personnel.
He lent his support to the
constitution of a joint committee
to facilitate the collaboration in
the next two weeks in view of its
urgency.
Professional
Indemnity
Insurance cover is part of the
six
compulsory
insurances
under the National Insurance
Commission’s
(NAICOM’s)
Market
Development
and
Restructuring Initiative (MDRI)
being pushed for implementation.
It indemnifies the medical
practitioners
against
legal
liability on negligence, error or
omission, committed in their
professional duties during the
period of insurance. It is based
on this that NAICOM
suggested to the NHIS to make
it a precondition for the issuance
of certificate of registration by
the scheme to medical centres.

Dismantling of pavilions at Tafawa Balewa Square at the end of the Lagos International Trade Fair, yesterday in Lagos.

Photo: NAN

SA Life settles N3.1bn claims in 2012
From Ngozi Onyeakusi, Lagos

S

tandard
Alliance
Life
Assurance Limited has
settle claims to the tune of
N3.14 billion during the 2012
financial year against N3.82
billion it paid in 2011.
Addressing shareholders at
firms annual general meeting in
Lagos, the company’s Chairman,
O’tegaEmerhor, stated that the
life underwriting companies
despite the harsh business
environment with the period,
recorded a gross production of
N4.3 billion and a profit after tax
of N336 million, just as
it has indicated plans to
source additional equity capital
to expand its business.
A breakdown of the gross
production according to him,
showed that the sum of N2.9

billion represents performance
in Gross Life premium income
(Group and Individual Life
businesses) while N1.4 billion
came from investment-linked
products.
The company’s gross life
premium of N2.9 billion indicates
a 26 percent growth over N2.3
billion achieved in 2011.
He further stated that the
“company reported operating
result of activities of N448.2
million compared with N299
million in 2011. This represents
50 percent growth over that
oflast year, while profit after tax
of N336 million was recorded
in the year under review as
against N246 million loss in 2011
(consequent to IFRS conversion
from N44 million profit),” noting
that “the performance inprofit
level was as a result

of management’s continued
prudent
management
of
expenses
and
underwriting
expenses during the year.”
Emerhor who reported that
the company recorded a profit
before tax of N384.9 million
during the year under review
explained that the financial
statements were prepared in
accordance with International
Financial Reporting Standards
(IFRS) as issued by the
International
Accounting
Standard Board in
compliance
with
the
regulatory authorities’ directives,
noting that the company’s first
time adoption of IFRS transition
date was January 2011.
Explaining the company’s
plans for the near future, Emerhor
assured the shareholders that
“despite the challenges in the

economy and the market in
particular, the management
was resolute to do the very best
to deliver quality result in the
years ahead,” noting that “as
part of future outlook relating to
expansion, your company plans
to raise additional equity capital
in 2014 in line with current
realities.”
Also speaking, the Managing
Director of the company,
Austin Enajemo-Isire, hinted
of the challenging business
environment under which the
sector operated, noting that the
success recorded by his company
was as a result of the ownership
spirit and dedication of the staff.
He assured the public of
continued quality service, noting
that we will, from time to time,
roll out products to meet clients’
changing needs.”

The two agencies have
concluded plans to set up a joint
standing committee to enforce
the
mandatory
Healthcare
Professional
Indemnity
Insurance in the country.

Law Union
launches
digital
marketing
From Ngozi Onyeakusi, Lagos

L

aw Union & Rock Insurance
Plc. has introduced a digital
marketing system aimed
at enhancing awareness on the
benefits of insurance and makes
its products more accessible to
the insuring public.
According to the Managing
Director of the firm, Mrs. Toyin
Ogunseye, who said that it was
part of efforts of the company
to serve its customers better,
stated that the company recently
engaged the
services of a digital marketing
consultant, who is working to
ensure that the firm becomes
accessible through the various
digital social media market
platforms.
“In order to effectively reach
out to potential clients and even
existing ones, we have embarked
on digital marketing,” she said.
“Apart from this, we also
have other means of making
payment easy for our clients like
the POS, mobile money, online
payments,” she added.
Ogunseye said the company
had put in place a number of
platforms for this purpose,
adding that this became relevant
because the whole world was
going digital in the market place.
With these technologies put
in place, she said the insuring
public could easily buy and pay
for their products from any part
of the country.
According to her, the company
has continued to ensure that
it meets the expectations of its
customers through the provision
of insurance products that meet
their needs and prompt claims
settlement.
The
managing
director
said that through competence,
innovation and prudence, the
firm would continue to satisfy its
clients’ needs at all times.
Law Union & Rock Insurance
is a fully indigenous public
quoted insurance company
certified
by
the
National
Insurance
Commission
to
operate as a general insurance
business underwriter.
The company is one of the
first generation insurance firms
to open office in the country and
it currently has over N7bn in
total assets and shareholders’
fund in excess of N4bn.

PEOPLES DAILY, WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 13, 2013

PAGE 22

Business

FirstBank expands its pan-African footprint

By Etuka Sunday

F

irstBank
Limited,
a
subsidiary of FBN Holdings
Plc announced that it has
acquired 100% equity interest
in ICB Ghana, ICB Sierra Leone,
ICB Guinea and ICB gambia
from International Commercial
Bank inancial Group Holdings
(ICBFGH).
FirstBank remains the leading
bank in the Nigerian banking
sector with a Total Asset base of
N3.3trillion (US$21.3 billion) as
at 30 June 2013.
FirstBank in a statement said,
the transaction has been effected
through the completion of a
Conditional Sale and Purchase
Agreement with ICBFGH.
With
the
acquisition,
FirstBank will consolidate its
position as one of the largest
corporate and retail banking
financial institutions in subSaharan Africa (excluding South
Africa).
The
transaction
delivers
against
FirstBank’s
stated
ambition to win significant
market share, expand its panAfrican footprint and diversify
earnings while delivering value to
shareholders.
The
transaction
has
considerable strategic benefits
directly aligned with FirstBank’s
growth plans and provides a
very strong platform for regional
growth as the Bank expands its
operations to take dvantage of
opportunities across the wider
continent.
Expansion offers a range of
benefits, including new growth
options, a diversified and broader
geographic earnings profile,
reduced country specific risk and
enhanced customer benefits.
By establishing a footprint
in carefully selected African
countries, the Bank expects
to improve its ability to
effectively serve an increasingly
international profile of corporate
and institutional customers.
Across ICB’s West Africa
operations First Bank has
acquired
existing
banking
operations in four new markets,
with 28 branches of which 17
are in Ghana, 5 in Guinea, 4 in
Gambia and 2 in Sierra Leone.
ICB’s West African operations
employ over 600 people and their
assets will enhance the Bank’s

AfDB approves
2.9 bn ZAR loan
… Acquires ICBFGH as asset base hits N3.3trn to Namibia
balance sheet by 1.32%. With are headquartered in Lagos, our geographic revenue base for Walvis Bay
while providing enhanced service
over 120,000 customer accounts Nigeria.
Container
Commenting
on
the delivery to our new customers.
and a focus on the mid-corporate,
By leveraging the transfer
SME and retail segments ICB transaction, Bisi Onasanya, Chief
provides clear alignment with the Executive Officer of FirstBank of FirstBank’s, expertise and Terminal
said: “The cquisition of ICBGFH execution capabilities, supported
Bank’s existing strategic focus.
The transaction has the assets in Ghana, Guinea, Gambia by the Bank’s robust risk construction
support of the Boards of Directors
of each of the banks involved
and the relevant regulatory
approvals have been obtained.
The combined entity will be
incorporated into the
international
banking
operations of FirstBank, which

and Sierra Leone fulfils the first
stage of our ambitions to
steadily build a broader and
more diverse footprint across
Africa.
We
are
committed
to
developing
a
multi-local
business model that broadens

management and corporate
governance policies, there is a
strong opportunity for an
appreciable rise in the
combined entity’s asset turnover
over time while net revenue
synergies are set to improve
profit margins.”

he Nigerian Ports Authority
(NPA) on Monday said that
10 vessels with petroleum
products had arrived at Lagos
ports.
The NPA disclosed this in its
daily publication, the ``Shipping
Position’’. “The vessels will berth
at various terminals including
Bulk Oil Plant, Single Bouy
Mooring, Bulk Oil Plant, New Oil
Jetty, Atlas Cove Jetty

and others”.
It said that a motor vessel
carrying containers had also
arrived and was waiting to berth
at the APM Terminal.
The NPA is also expecting 66
vessels to arrive at various port
terminals from Nov. 11 to Dec. 3.
It said that of the 66 vessels,
29 of them would arrive with
containers, while 13 would arrive
with vehicles.

Eleven of the ships would
come in with various products like
bulk fertiliser and truck heads.
Six of the vessels are to
arrive with food items including
frozen fish and buckwheat, the
publication said.
The NPA said that four vessels
would sail in with general cargo,
while the remaining three would
arrive with petroleum products
including petrol. (NAN)

Brent edges down towards $106 as US crude stocks seen rising

B

rent crude futures dropped
towards 106 dollars per
barrel on Tuesday on
expectations of a large increase
in U.S. oil inventories.
Investors
eyed
possible
economic
reforms
to
be
announced by Chinese leaders
later in the day.
While unsuccessful talks
between Iran and world powers
at the weekend pulled Brent
away from a four-month low
hit last week, a strengthening
dollar and an expected build in
U.S. crude stockpiles weighed on

prices.
Brent contract for December
delivery was 17 cents lower at
106.23 dollars per barrel at 0736
GMT.
U.S. crude was down 25 cents
at 94.89 dollars per barrel.
U.S. crude oil stockpiles
were seen rising by 1.6 million
barrels last week, according to
a preliminary poll of Reuters
analysts.
But expectations of higher
refinery runs headed into the
heating season helped limit a
steeper fall in prices.

“Looking at the economic
statistics in the U.S., demand
should be increasing,” said
Yusuke Seta, commodity sales
manager at Newedge in Tokyo.
“We should see a drawdown
in stocks in the coming weeks,
as refiners increase runs ahead
of the peak winter season.”
The U.S. oil inventory data
reports this week will be delayed
by a day due to the Veterans Day
holiday on Monday.
Industry group, the American
Petroleum Institute, will release
its report on Wednesday and

the U.S. Energy Information
Administration will publish its
data on Thursday.
A strengthening U.S. dollar
also weighed on oil prices.
Following unsuccessful talks
over the weekend, investors will
also be watching for the next
round of talks between Iran and
world powers due on Nov. 20.
U.S. Secretary of State
John Kerry said he hoped an
agreement would be signed
within months, while London
and Tehran revived diplomatic
ties. (NAN)

By Chris Alu

T

he African Development
Bank (AFDB) has approved
a total sum of ZAR 2.9
billion Namibian money (US$338
million) as sovereign guaranteed
loan for the building of a new
container terminal at Walvis Bay
New Port by the Namibian Ports
Authority.
The Bank said the grant
is in line with Namibian Ten
Year Strategy plan of building
infrastructural development in
the region, a long side the Bank
has
also approved UA 1.5
million (US $2.3million) loan for
logistics and capacity building in
order to complementing the port
project loan.
According
to
Namibia’s
Finance, Mrs. Sara Kuugongwelwa
Amadhila, who received the loan
on behalf the Government in
Namibia Capital said that the
money would help the country to
develop its National Development
Plan with the aims of positioning
the country as a regional logistics
hub by the year 2017. She said
AfDB is committed in financing big
African project with unwavering
commitment.
Also speaking , AfDB Director
of Transport and ICT, Amadou
Oumarou: said that the Bank is
assisting Namibia in the area of
diversification and distribution
of port facilities on the southwest
coast of Africa, and also providing
the much-needed alternative for
the region’s landlocked countries.”
According to him, the Project
is expected to enable Namibian
port to triple the containerhandling capacity at the Port of
Walvis Bay from 350,000 TEUs to
1,050,000 TEUs per annum. And
also finance the purchase of upto-date port equipment and the
training of pilots and operators for
the new terminal.
The grant component will fund
the preparation of the National
Logistics Master Plan study,
technical support and capacitybuilding for the Walvis Bay
Corridor Group and training of
freight forwarders with particular
emphasis on female staff.
The project outcome includes
improvement in port efficiency
and increase in cargo volumes
by 70% in 2020 as a result of
increased trade in the region. The
benefits of the project will include
among others, the stimulation of
inter-regional trade and regional
integration,
private
sector
development, skills transfer and
most importantly employment
creation, leading to significant
economic
development
and
poverty reduction in Namibia, and
the SADC region.

PEOPLES DAILY, WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 13, 2013

Stock Watch

Report as at Tuesday, November 12, 2013

PAGE 23

PEOPLES DAILY, WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 13, 2013

PAGE 24

PAGE 25

Special Report

Made-in-Nigeria automobile in the works?

By Ben Adam Shemang

F

rom
American
specifications to German
machine,
European,
Japanese
and
Korean
automobiles, and now India,
one question that continues to
agitate the minds of Nigerians
remains – When will a locally
manufactured vehicle be on
display for auto shows in
Nigeria?
The quest and yearning for
a fully made in Nigeria vehicle
has been long.
In the early 1960s, private
companies like UAC, Levent is,
SCOA, RT Briscoe, and BEWAC,
pioneered the establishment
of auto assembly plants using
Completely Knocked Down
(CKDs)
or
Semi-Knocked
Down parts in the country.
Some decades ago, there
were vehicle assembling plants
in the country, as the French
vehicle plant, Peugeot, was in
Kaduna, Volkswagen of Nigeria
(VW)from Germany was based
in Lagos, a tractor company in
Bauchi, among others.
It could be recalled that, as
part of efforts to manufacture
a Nigerian automobile, the
government adopted Peugeot
504
and
other
locallyassembled models as official
cars. The idea then was to
transfer technology, believing
that Nigerians who were
working there, would learn the
art of vehicle manufacturing,
take over these companies, and
thereafter, launch a truly made
in Nigerian vehicle. Many
of the raw materials were to
come in from Itakpe Iron Ore
company and the Ajaokuta
Steel Complex, the largest
complex in Africa and one of
the biggest global complexes.
These vehicle plants ended
up importing either finished
vehicles in the country. The
lofty
intention of Nigeria
in the automobile world
became a mirage and a ruse.
Suddenly, a Nigerian vehicle
manufacturer has entered the
market and is making waves.
This is the Innoson Vehicle
Manufacturing
Company
(IVC).
Sadly,
this
initiative
was not sustained, despite
government’s involvement in
the industry between 1970 and
1980, after sealing agreements
with car plants in Europe to
set up vehicle assembly plants
using CKD parts in the wake of
the growing middle-class.
Early this year, I heard
about
this
company,
I
sought for the brain behind
it, it turned out to be Chief
Innocent Chukwuma, who is
the Chief Executive Officer

In what could be tagged best news out of Nigeria in a while, Innoson vehicle
manufacturing company has launched its factory in South-East Nigeria
Behold the Made-in-Nnewi, Nigeria vehicle

of the company. He came
for an interview with the
Voice of Nigeria (VON),
where I interviewed for thirty
minutes. Even when he spoke
extensively about the types
of vehicles his company was
making, inside me, I had some
doubts.
However, some events
convinced me later. During the
last National Good Governance
Tour led by the Minister of
Information, Mr. Labaran
Maku, the team visited the site
and journalists saw vehicles
manufactured there.
This year again, the All
Nigeria Editors’ Conference
took place in Asaba, Delta state.
On the day of tour of projects
by members of the Guild of
Editors to see what Governor
Emmanuel
Uduaghan,
it
turned out that the vehicles
the editors used were from
this local manufacturer. I was
in the same luxurious bus with
members of the Nigerian Guild
of Editors and with People
like Garba Shehu, spokesman
for former Vice President,
Atiku Abubakar, Mr. Bolaji
Adebiyi, a Special Assistant to
President Goodluck Jonathan,
Malam Tukur Abdulrahman,
the Managing Director of New
Nigerian newspapers, among
others.
When
the
conference
ended, I was privileged to be
part of a team that visited
the company to see things for
ourselves in Nnewi, Anambra
state. The General Manager,
Mr. Henry Jude Nnamdi
Onusogu took us round the
company. We saw finished

vehicles of different makes like
Sports utility Vehicles SUVs,
IVM 65402.7l Buses, IVM5000
Mini Buses, IVM6660 Medium
buses and IVM 6800 mini
Luxurious buses. These buses
have seating capacities of
15, 18, 21, 26, 29, 33 and 45.
The company also makes
ambulances, pick up vans
and IVM5251 series (garbage
Compactor)
andIVM5003
(swing arm Refuge truck).
Inside the company, Mr.
Onusogu will gladly take one to
all the sections of the company.
Each vehicle has a section and
production line. One finds
irons being turned and cut to
shape and size of the portion
of vehicle being made, they are
further turned to the skeleton
of the vehicle, each part fixed,
the vehicle begins to take
shape, the finishing portion
treats the vehicle against rust,
electrical fittings are done,
washing completed, tyres fixed,
the vehicle is washed and rolled
out. And thereafter, a driver

test runs it for about hundred
kilometres.
At the entrance are irons
sheet of different shapes, the
vehicles already have been
designed into different shapes.
Panel beaters are there, all
working, welders are there
doing their best. Engineers
in overall wears keep tap on
every part of any vehicle and
followed from one level of
manufacturing to the other –
from commencement to rolling
the vehicle out for onward
delivery to those placing orders.
With the public display
of some of the vehicles at the
2nd Nnewi International Auto
Trade Fair held at the Beverly
Hills Hotels (Gabros Sports
Complex) in the last quarter of
2009, IVM did not only silence
the critics, but made a bold
statement about its readiness
to achieve the avowed mission
of being the first (indigenous)
auto maker to produce truly
Nigerian vehicles that are
affordable and reliable.

“

And definitely, the prices of vehicles
from Innoson motors are cheap
because, no one talks of import duties.
But the Nigerian should accept this
as a home-made gift and should
be promoted, especially schools,
transporters, the armed forces,
ministries and governments at all levels,
among others

IVM is today a success story
which has attracted effusive
commendations and awards
from various quarters. Vehicles
from IVC were formally shown
to the public during the 2nd
Nnewi International Auto
Trade Fair in November, 2009.
On October 15, 2010, President
Goodluck Jonathan officially
commissioned the company.
While declaring the plant open,
President Goodluck Jonathan
not only hailed Chukwuma for
the courage of venturing into
an industry many ran away
from, but also assured him of
government’s patronage from
the government.
The Chairman and Chief
Executive Officer of the
company,
Chief
Innocent
Chukwuma, in describing
the business says: “so far,
so good”. A number of west
African countries have started
patronizing the company.
Orders are usually placed
for production and with a
dedicated workforce, delivery
is on schedule.
Just of recent, there was an
announcement by the Minister
of Trade and Investment, Dr.
Olusegun Aganga that a foreign
car manufacturer like Datsun
will establish vehicle plants in
Nigeria. Chief Chukwuma see
sit as a welcome development
as Nigerians will be able to
compare what he has and
what foreign companies have.
He is however complaining of
electricity because no single
vehicle can be manufactured
with out light. He needs
more tax incentives but says
the investment climate is

favourable with a workforce,
and a large internal market.
Among
awards
given
the company are “Nigeria’s
Young
Global
Champion
in
manufacturing
by
ThisDay newspaper, 2011, ,
Special Merit award by the
Manufacturers Association of
Nigeria (MAN), Distinguished
Entrepreneurship Award for
Indigenous
Excellence
in
automobile
manufacturing
by NACCIMA, Officer of the
Order of the Niger (OON), by
late President Umaru Musa
Yar’adua, Officer of the Federal
Republic (OFR), by President
Goodluck Jonathan, among
many others at home and
abroad.
Now that the vehicles
are
manufactured here it
is hoped that governments
will patronize this company
by following the example of
the Delta state government.
The Federal government has
directed the Independent
National Electoral Commission
(INEC)and
the
National
Population Commission to buy
their operational vehicles from
this local company.
This
is
a
gradual
implementation of the new
policy on Automobile
in
Nigeria, whereby importation
of second hand vehicles,
popularly called Tokumbo or
Cotonou, will be stopped in the
near future.
And definitely, the prices of
vehicles from Innoson motors
are cheap because, no one
talks of import duties. But the
Nigerian should accept this as a
home-made gift and should be
promoted, especially schools,
transporters, the armed forces,

ministries and governments at
all levels, among others.
Also recall that a team of
Nigerian engineers made up of
students and their professors
from University of Lagos
(UNILAG), University of Benin
(UNIBEN), and Ahmadu Bello
University (ABU) Zaria, have
promised to design, build
and test ultra-energy-efficient
and
environment-friendly
vehicles. The quest is under
the auspices of Shell Petroleum
Development
Company
(SPDC), on behalf of Shell
Companies in Nigeria.
In what would be a debut
entry for sub-Saharan Africa
at the Shell Eco-Marathon,
three student teams from three
Nigerian universities have
begun preparation to compete
at the 2014 event in Qatar.

Representatives from each
team accompanied by their
team managers were at the Shell
Eco-Marathon in Rotterdam,
The Netherlands, recently
on a learning visit to acquire
knowledge from participating
entrants at the event.
Shell
Eco-Marathon
challenges student teams from
around the world to design,
build and test ultra-energy
efficient vehicles. With yearly
events first in the Americas,
then Europe and Asia, the
winners are the teams that
go the furthest using the least
amount of energy. The events
have sparked off debate about
the future of mobility and
inspire young engineers to
push the boundaries of fuel
efficiency.
A member of the Nigerian

team of engineers, Mohammed
Dauda said the Nigerian team
will link up the Shell EcoMarathon to the quest for
competitive made-in-Nigeria
car.
According to the university
don from ABU, Zaria, “We
can link it up because when
we participate next year,
remember this event is tailored
at producing a highly energy
efficient car, both prototype
and sub-urban concept. All
the parts that will be used in
making this highly energy
efficient car will be fed into
our Nigeria car project. In
essence, participating in EcoMarathon will help us make
a highly energy efficient and
sophisticated car.
“What I agree with is that
Nigeria will be able to make a
highly energy efficient car. We
might adapt some technologies
rather than simply make all of
it because it may increase the
cost. What I am assuring you
is that we will be able to make
car in Nigeria. When you say
90 percent, it means all the 90
percent of the materials and
inputs will be sourced locally.
That I am not sure because
we do not have the empirical
evidence to show you as it is
now.”
“We see this as an
opportunity as well to rekindle
that flame in Nigeria to
develop a Nigerian car despite
these challenges. Our support
is to enable this process to go
forward and bring this into the
consciousness of Nigerians.
Our national pride and also
our place in Africa and the
world is at stake. It is not good
enough to put a car together
but it must compete and there
is need for creativity and
something unique.”
Dauda noted that the

Some of the Completely Knocked Down (CKDs) or Semi-Knocked Down
parts at the plant

optimism for a 100 per
cent made in Nigeria car
began as part of the Centre
for Automotive Design and
Development (CADD). The
ABU don explained: “It started
as a project called three-wheel
project which was started by
one of the military regimes.
After the three-wheel project
was completed, it was tasked
with looking at the possibility
or feasibility of making a
Nigerian car.
When it completed its
work then, the military
administration went ahead to
set up CADD and domiciled
it in ABU, which was headed
by Clement Folayan who was
then the Head of Department
of Mechanical Engineering and
the Dean of Engineering ABU,
Zaria.
“The detailed work which
they started by producing a
three wheel vehicle was tailored
after the India three wheel
vehicle. That was the initial
prototype they developed.
After that they developed two
more four-wheel vehicles,
which indeed toured Nigeria. It
drove all over the country and
ended in Abuja where they
presented it to the Minister
of Science and Technology
then.,” Dauda stated.
The university don said that
the project was divided into
phases. The second to the last
demonstrated that essentially
a Nigeria car could be made
and which has made and
demonstrated its capacity of
being driven, the university don
noted.
“The last part of the project
was presenting this report: the
technical design, the financial
analysis, which is the economic
analysis to the business
community, what they call a
stakeholder conference. In

that forum, the stakeholders
conference, is supposed to
present a made in Nigeria car,
a functioning made in Nigeria
car to the business community
and start the process of
commercialising it, which
essentially involves setting
up a factory by the business
community to start the Nigerian
car. So that was where we were,
it never happened.”
“During
the
Obasanjo
administration, he dissolved
the CADD and brought that
function under the National
Automotive Council. As we
are now, that function is
supposed to be under the
National Automotive Council
but the business community
has not shown interest in
developing that. The whole of
these activities happened about
2002”, he further said.
Dauda however added that
a lot of research activity has
gone into automotive parts
in Nigerian universities, a
decade after the CADD was
scrapped and assured that with
the research output that can
be pooled from the Nigerian
universities, the team is capable
of making even a better car than
the one developed by CADD.
“Perhaps if the business
community is not interested
in developing it, government
must provide seed money for
the school to now build a pilot
plant for the production of the
made in Nigeria car, then that
will in essence be demonstrated
to the business community that
is a viable venture and they
may buy in. That is how all the
countries that have built cars
started,” Dauda concluded.
Ben Adam Shemang is
a Deputy Director, Voice
of Nigeria (VON).

Innoson Vehicle Manufacturing company is set to produce sundry
commercial automobiles, utility vehicles and passenger cars, in collaboration
with a consortium of Chinese auto manufacturers.

n a move to respond to government’s calls for the construction industry to work closer together, leadership of professional
institutions in the built environment may have commenced discussions to bring all surveying
bodies under one single organisation, as is the practice in the
United Kingdom.
The three surveying professions in Nigeria, namely, the
Nigerian Institution of Surveyors (NIS), Nigerian Institution
of Estate Surveyors and Valuers
(NIESV) and Nigerian Institute
of Quantity Surveyors (NIQS) are
independent of each other and
guided by different ethics and
practice.
But under the latest move
being championed by the NIQS
president, Mr. Agele Alufohai,
discussion has been jump-started
between quantity surveyors and
estate surveyors. Alufohai who
confirmed the development at the
RICS Continuing Professional Development (CPD) programme in
Lagos said, “discussions are at an
early stage. No final decisions will
be reached without consulting the
members of both bodies.”
In his presentation on Mind
the Gaps: thoughts on Surveyors
in National and International Life
at the Luncheon/Annual General
Meeting organized by the entity
- Royal Institution of Chartered
Surveyors (RICS) Nigeria Group,
he suggested the formation of Association of Surveying Bodies of
Nigeria (ASBON), which will be a
platform for closing the gaps and
unifying the bodies.
His words: “Internationally,
we have the Royal Institution
of Chartered Surveyors (RICS)
speaking with one voice for all
surveyors. The story is different
here in Nigeria and we can begin to look at various ways of addressing these issues in ways that
are acceptable and beneficial to
all. By leaving the various operational laws of the three surveying
bodies intact, can we think of a
unifying name.”
Alufohai spoke of two major
gaps in the surveying profession,
One: the one between quantity
surveyors, estate surveyors and
land surveyors. “ I believe that
by coming together, associating
together more often, Nigerians
will gradually associate surveying
with a single idea. We are simply
going to have a bigger voice on
national economic issues, both
that concern us directly and those
that we are qualified to speak
about by virtue of our training.

iscourse on the Nigerian
property market almost always centres on affordability, which explains the high vacancy
rate estimated to be in the region
of 20-30 percent in a country with
17 million housing units demandsupply gap.
For a combination of reasons
including greed and low purchasing power of over 70 percent of
Nigeria’s 160 million people, most
property developers and investors build for the high-end market
where only castles and mansions
affordable by the rich in society are
put on the market.
The few who build for the lowend market where demand is quite
high complain of low patronage,
low turnover and low margin, all
because mortgage which helps
buyers in this market to own
homes is literally non-existent
and/or unaffordable at 20-22 percent (commercial) interest rate.

Interestingly, however, some
real estate stakeholders have intervened with mortgage platforms
which have widened the affordability net by accommodating the
interest of low-income earners to
enable them realise their dream of
owning homes without overshooting their income, thereby offering hope for both the low-income
home buyers and low-cost housing
developers.
One of such mortgage platforms is being provided by Pison
Housing Company, a real estate
and housing finance advisory firm
acting as mortgage loan originator and strategic developer.
According to officials of this
company, this scheme, which is
developed to provide homes for
engaged professionals, civil servants and entrepreneurs with stable source of income, offers various convenient payment schemes
for individuals who can meet specific primary requirements.
The mortgage plan schedule,

they explain, can accommodate
income earners between the N1.2
million and N9 million annual
margin, adding that with a down
equity contribution of 20 percent,
intending homeowners can subscribe for up to 80 percent of their
desired property ranging from
N2 million to N15 million with
an interest rate of 17 percent per
annum on the amount borrowed
with a tenor of three to seven
years.
The scheme, however, demands the title document of the
property as the collateral while
principal repayment is scheduled
for monthly, quarterly, half-yearly
or yearly depending on the plan
subscribed for.
The juicy part of the offer is
that subscribers can split their
balance into a periodic contribution while construction is in progress, thus affording them the
opportunity to live in their homes
while payment continues.
The opportunity also extends

to developers who are willing
to build for low-income earners
within the said house price bracket. However, just like individuals,
some basic requirements must
be met such as building plan approvals and land title, but the projects must have reached advanced
stage before such funds can be
granted.
It could be recalled that Abbey Building Society plc, one of
Nigeria’s old generation primary
mortgage banks (PMBs), was also
offering first-time home buyers
similar mortgage platform to enable them own homes at the Teju
Royal Garden Estate in Lagos.
The bank, which is also financing the development of 1,000 affordable housing units comprising
1, 2 & 3-bedroom semi-detached
bungalows at the estate situated
along Lagos-Badagry Expressway,
is offering those wishing to buy
from this estate 17 percent fixed
interest rate mortgage repayable
in seven-10 years.

acility managers have condemned their exclusion
from most project developments in the country, saying the
gap which currently exists between them and architects have
continuously led to increased
difficulty in managing and maintaining most structures after delivery.
The managers, under the aegis
of African Facility Management
Institute (AFMI), said the need for
a coherence partnership between
project managers, architects and
facility managers during project
developments would aid innovate
aesthetics for easy facility maintenance after project delivery.
Speaking at a one-day work-

shop organized for Facility
Managers in Lagos, Mohammed
(MKO) Balogun, CEO, WSP FMC
Nigeria Limited—a facility maintenance company—stressed the
need for architects to put the
local environment into context
when designing buildings.
“It is important that architects
put into perspective our local environmental conditions and challenges when building in Nigeria
so that even after delivery, these
structures can be easily managed
and maintained by facility managers,” he advised.
Continuing, he said, “Facilities and structure management
processes must also ensure environmental sustainability, even as
the world inches towards a green
environment.”

Balogun further stressed the
need for effective communication
between projects managers, facility managers and clients who will
eventually use facilities on delivery while building is in progress.
His advice to facility managers
is to see their expertise as value
adding rather than cost centers,
noting that if they localize best
practices and standards worldwide to the Nigerian market their
clients would see them differently.
On tips to ensuring effective
facility management, Balogun,
highlighted the need for effective
documentation, strategic planning, data comparison and analysis.
“Regular facility review is very
important; because it helps validate records and data which are

key beneficial instruments for
any facility manager, as efficiently
managed equipment or structure
leads to longevity,” he added.
The gain in facility management companies merging for big
projects was also highlighted by
Balogun, noting that “joint bids
are encouraged for enormous
projects because partnerships are
vital to performance contracting
and definition of projects outcome from the onset because of
the in-depth project evaluation by
both teams.
“As facility managers, the
onus is on us to up the stakes as
the world have migrated from
methodologies to results, he said,
adding that clients are no longer
interested in processes but result”.

PEOPLES DAILY, WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 13, 2013

PAGE 27

Property

APDC Capital Estate,
Phase 1: A city within a city
By Stanley Onyekwere

ish to taste
Some of the features in the estate include:
•
All the bedrooms are ensuite
•
All bedrooms have built in
wardrobe
•
All Kitchens come with
store and built–in cabinets
•
All houses have guest toilets (except 1 bedroom flat)
Facilities to be included in the
estate include;
Neighborhood Centre
Commercial Centres
Recreational centres
Banks
Crèches, Schools
Clinic
Police Post
Places of worship [/center]

B

uy into APDC Capital Estate
(Phase 1) Kaba District Abuja.
You can’t miss this opportunity of owning an affordable home
in Abuja.
Estate comprises of; 1,2 and
3 bedroom flats, 3 bedroom Terraces (with and without BQ), 4
bedroom semi detached duplexes
are on sale.
The estate is located in Kaba
District, Phase IV of the FCT, just
after kubwa ( a popular satellite
town in Abuja). It is being developed by Abuja Property Development Company Ltd (APDC).
The Estate is primarily targetted at the following groups of
people;
1. Contributors to the National
Housing Fund (NHF; this is your
golden opportunity to utilise your
contributions to the scheme
2. Private individual wanting
to purchase a home
3. Buy-to-let investors. Buy
multiple units (in blocks) and
take advantage of the potential future rental income due from these
properties in view of the rising demand for rental property in Abuja
4. Sub developers to take up
Carcasses ( in blocks only) to fin-

Karmo
Housing Estate

T

hese beautiful medium income have been completed
and sold.
Planned for 56 families and
covering approximately a land
area of 10,000 sq. m, Karmo
Housing Estate is a total deviation from the rigid estate planning
concept. Excellently terraced and
self-contained, the fifty six (56)
units of 2 bedroom bungalows are
located in Karmo, Abuja (a suburb, 10 minutes drive from the
Wuse district).
Beautifully located among
already existing life camps and
housing estates (Julius Berger,
Aprofin, Agura Hotels etc), the
estate possesses a suburban scenario away from the ever hectic,
busy life of Abuja.
Though designed in a cluster
formation, each unit is planned
to give its occupant a high level
of privacy. The estate situated
very close to an existing road network is adorned with an efficient
network of services (road, water,
electricity) to ensure functional
living.
The arrangement of the units
allows ample space for movement
in and out of the site, around the
estate, parking and green space.
Each bungalow has a living room
with dinning recess, 2 modest
sized bedrooms, 1 bathroom, a
kitchen, a front entrance foyer,
and a backyard verandah. They
also provides privacy within a
communal setting.

uxury coupes have a certain sex appeal. Perhaps it’s
their defiant lack of practicality that gives them such a
glamorous edge. The 2014 Audi
A5 is one of the more fetching
choices in this comely bunch and
it offers more than mere surface
charms. This shapely twodoor impresses in almost
every way imaginable.
Some cars present
a
beauty
that’s

Motoring

PAGE 28

somewhat of
an acquired taste,
but this is not the case with the
A5. Its sheet metal boasts an allure that’s easily understood.
This stylish refinement is also
reflected in the cabin, which
is one of the most deluxe and
eye-catching interiors in the
segment. The A5 continues to
inspire praise on the open road,
with sure-footed handling that
makes you want to take the long
way home. It even has a sensible
streak, in the form of strong fuel
economy. And drivers who frequently face intemperate weather will appreciate its available
all-wheel drive.
Under the hood is a turbocharged four-cylinder engine.
While this engine might seem
puny relative to the six-cylinders
that dominate the segment, in
reality, the A5 is only slightly
slower than its rivals under full
acceleration. If you crave more
power, you could always look at
the Audi S5 and Audi RS 5, both
of which offer improved performance and sharper handling.
The 2014 Audi A5 is in many
ways an ideal luxury coupe, and
it has the goods to please a wide
range of buyers in this segment.
With competition like the BMW
4 Series, Infiniti Q60 and Mercedes-Benz C-Class, this Audi
isn’t exactly going up against
lightweights. Still, it stands out
even among this distinguished
lineup by offering a thoughtfully
calibrated blend of luxury and
The 2014 Audi A5 is offered
in four-passenger coupe and
Cabriolet (convertible) body
styles. All cars are sold in a base
Premium trim level, and from
there you can choose whether
to add the Premium Plus and
Prestige option packages, which
dictate the availability of other
option groups.
The base A5 Premium trim

stery, eight-way power front
seats with four-way driver lumbar support, split-folding rear
seats, a dash-mounted MMI
electronics interface controller, a 6.5-inch display, Bluetooth phone connectivity and a
10-speaker sound system with
a CD player, satellite radio and
an iPod interface. The Cabriolet
adds a power-operated convertible top and a wind deflector. To
this you can add the Lighting
package, which includes xenon
headlights and LED running
lights and taillights.
Opting for the Premium Plus
package gets you all the Premium trim’s standard equipment
and the features in the Lighting package, along with keyless
ignition/entry, auto-dimming
and heated mirrors, heated front
seats and driver-seat memory
functions. To that, you can add
the optional MMI Navigation
Plus package, which includes
front and rear parking sensors;
a navigation system; Bluetooth
audio connectivity; an upgraded,
console-mounted MMI interface; a slightly larger 7-inch display; a rearview camera; HD radio and Audi Connect (enhanced
Web-based navigation, information and WiFi hot spot).

i n g
system
and
a
premium
14-speaker
(12 for the convertible) Bang &
Olufsen sound system. Also included are unique “S line” exterior details, including fender
badges, bumpers and door sills.
A5s fitted with the Premium
Plus or Prestige packages are
eligible for the optional Sport
package, which includes a sporttuned suspension, front sport
seats, the Audi Drive Select system (providing driver control
over steering and transmission
settings) and shift paddles for
automatic transmissions.
An S line Competition package is also offered and comes
with the sport suspension, 19inch wheels with performance
tires, unique exterior trim elements, brushed aluminum interior trim, sport seats and a threespoke sport steering wheel. An S
line Interior package (available
only with the Prestige package)
adds extended leather upholstery, a black headliner, a threespoke steering wheel, unique aluminum interior trim and sport
seats. The Black Optic package
(Premium Plus and Prestige
only) adds 19-inch wheels and
high-gloss black elements.

An Audi Exclusive Line Interior package (Premium Plus
and Prestige) features premium
two-tone leather upholstery and
other interior upgrades found in
other packages. The Driver Assist package is Prestige package-only and adds adaptive
cruise control,
adaptive

steering and
Audi Drive Select.
Cabriolet models with the
Premium Plus or Prestige package are eligible for the Comfort
package that adds a neck-level
heater, premium leather upholstery and perforated and ventilated front seats. Stand-alone
options include 18-inch wheels,
a variety of wood interior trim
and a power rear sunshade (on
Prestige coupe only).
Powering the 2014 Audi A5
is a turbocharged 2.0-liter fourcylinder engine that produces
220 horsepower and 258 poundfeet of torque. Coupe models
come standard with a six-speed
manual transmission and allwheel drive. A5 Cabriolets come
standard with a continuously
variable transmission (CVT)
and front-wheel drive. All-wheel
drive is available as an option on
the Cabriolet and it comes paired
with an eight-speed automatic
transmission, which is also offered for all-wheel-drive coupes.
Fuel economy is estimated
by the EPA at 26 mpg combined
(22 mpg city/32 mpg highway)
for the coupe with the manual
transmission. The automatic
drops down to 24 mpg combined (20/29). The front-drive
Cabriolet gets 27 mpg combined
(24/32) and the all-wheel-drive
version rings in at 24 combined
(20/29).
Standard safety features for
the 2014 Audi A5 include antilock disc brakes, stability and
traction control, front-seat side
and knee airbags and full-length
side curtain airbags (for the
coupe only). A blind-spot monitoring system is standard for the
Prestige package and optional on
Premium Plus models. The Prestige trim also comes standard
with adaptive cruise control that
includes a collision mitigation
system with forward collision
alert and automatic low-speed
braking.
Source: Edmunds.com

PEOPLES DAILY, WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 13, 2013

PAGE 29

Arts & Culture

NANTAP to inject new
talents into theatre industry

T

he President, National Association of Nigerian Theatre
Arts Practitioners (NANTAP), Mr Greg Odutayo said the
association planned to inject new
talents into the theatre industry.
Odutayo told the News Agency
of Nigeria (NAN) on the sideline of
a media briefing on the forthcoming festival of plays tagged: “FESTINA’’ that the old writers and actors had been there for long.
``Our old writers have been
there for long but we need to inject
new talents so that they can carry
on the mantle of leadership in the
area of keeping the theatre industry going.

“We cannot allow theatre to die
in this country, we need to keep it
running,’’ he said.
According to him, new talents
are needed in play writing, production, directing and other areas
concerning theatre.
Odutayo said that the association would develop the youth in
these areas.
“We need to build up our stage
plays and let our people come to
see what we can do with stage
plays.’’
He described theatre as very vital in the growth of arts and culture
in the country.
“It is a platform to project our

works both from the old and new
generations.
“It is a challenge for us that
we are not doing more to promote
theatre,’’ he said.
Odutayo said that funds or not,
theatre practitioners must go on
production.
FESTINA 2013 is mainly about
stage plays from different writers
and producers and it will be celebrated in collaboration with the
National Theatre.
It will hold from Nov. 5 to Nov.
10 with different plays everyday.
The grand finale will be the
induction of fellows of the theatre
followed by an award night. (NAN)

By Erik Kirschbaum

works, estimated to be worth up to
1 billion euros ($1.34 billion), has
been criticized by those who say
that publicizing such finds is vital
to finding their rightful owners.
The Nazis plundered hundreds
of thousands of art works from
museums and individuals across
Europe. Many are still missing.
The Munich trove been hailed
as one of the most significant discoveries of looted art, fuelling
speculation about its provenance
and claims from heirs of Jewish
collectors who were robbed, dispossessed or murdered by the Nazis.
The 79-year-old recluse at the
centre of the mystery, Cornelius
Gurlitt, has vanished. He has not
been charged but has been under

on Saturday from the house of
Gurlitt’s brother-in-law Nikolaus
Fraessle near Stuttgart, Bild am
Sonntag said, after Fraessle called
police himself to hand the art
works over.
The federal government, which
ordinarily leaves such cases to
state justice officials, stepped up
its involvement after the United
States asked it to publish a list of
the art works.
Focus quoted German Foreign
Minister Guido Westerwelle as
saying he was taking a personal
interest in the case and that behind many of the paintings found
“are quite likely dramatic stories of
people pressured and persecuted”
by the Nazis.
The apparent official reluc-

Germany, under pressure, speeds
investigation of Nazi-looted art

G

ermany, under pressure to
hasten inquiries into Nazilooted art works stashed in a
recluse’s flat, has sent legal experts
to help local authorities in Munich
resolve myriad ownership issues,
Focus magazine reported.
The federal government’s intervention follows criticism that
authorities stayed silent too long
about 1,406 art works by European
masters they stumbled upon last
year.
Focus, based in Munich, said
the government sent “several staffers” to the Bavaria justice ministry
on Friday.
“The federal government is
working hard to ensure that information about the confiscated works
of art is made available as there are
now indications that Nazi persecution could be involved,” Chancellor
Angela Merkel’s spokesman Steffen
Seibert said the same day.
Focus, which broke the Nazi art
story a week ago, also said on Sunday customs experts believe some
of the art cannot be legally returned
to its original owners because it
came from state museums - and
restitution claims would likely fail.
Customs officials seized the
paintings, sketches and sculptures
from Cornelius Gurlitt in February
2012. They were hoarded by his
father Hildebrand, a war-era art
dealer put in charge of selling “degenerate” art by Adolf Hitler.
“A large portion of Hildebrand
Gurlitt’s treasure confiscated from
his son can probably not be returned to the rightful owners,” Focus magazine said, quoting from
an internal customs office analysis made for the Finance Ministry
that refers to 315 pieces of the “degenerate” art work found.
The legal status of the art remains murky and disputed nearly
70 years after World War Two.
Some legal experts say Gurlitt
may even get to keep it but others say Germany could nullify his
ownership under the 1998 Washington Declaration, a set of principles for dealing with looted art.
The secrecy and the delay in
publishing an inventory of the

File photo of a print of the painting ‘Lion-Tamer’ by artist Max
Beckmann is displayed in a book about the German expressionist at Lempertz auction house in Cologne November 4, 2013.
investigation for tax evasion and
concealment.
On Sunday Bild am Sonntag
newspaper said Gurlitt had been
seen near his Munich apartment
last Monday. Der Spiegel news
magazine said it had received a
confused-sounding letter signed
by Gurlitt dated November 4 asking that it not use his name.
“The good news is about that
is that Cornelius Gurlitt alive,”
Der Spiegel wrote.
Separately, German authorities confiscated 22 paintings

tance to publish an inventory infuriated families whose ancestors
were robbed by the Nazis.
Charlotte Knobloch, a leader
of the German Jewish community
in Munich, said it was bad enough
that the looted art had not been
returned sooner, but it would be a
scandal if it turned out officials had
wasted 18 months since its discovery.
“It can’t be possible that the
injustices of the past are compounded now,” she said, appealing
to Merkel to take charge.

uring the world tour of Chinua Achebe’s Things Fall
Apart as directed by Chuck Mike, we ran into many
former District and Colonial Officers who said they
never realised that the Igbo’s had existing structures for conflict
resolution or other aspects of communal living because they just
assumed that these were non-existent hence the urgent need to
colonise and bring them to civilization but in retrospect and with
the benefit of hindsight they realized that a lot of them ended up
destroying the cultures and the world view of a people and a generation. The same sentiments have also been expressed after watching
Wole Soyinka’s Death And The King’s Horseman. The arts thus offer
a very powerful platform in which communities and individuals can
acquire knowledge about the achievements, values and aspirations
of other cultures and other people.
The arts should be explored as a positive force in building community and this is particularly true of festivals where the spirit of
community is brought to bear on all the participants. These also
help to explain our humanity while strengthening our community
and our diversity. All of these are positives on the use of culture
and the arts especially in societies and communities which need to
explain certain aspects of their cultures and their peoples to others.
These also help to build direct, personal experiences.
The experience taught one the different aspects of the arts being moved by social media as well as new interventions using new
technology. Even photography can be a social force to be reckoned
with. Apart from the images, it can also be a means of documenting
the history both the positive and the negative of a people. Cases on
the struggle for independence in Bangladesh are richly documented and these have even been woven into a documentary on that
monumental struggle with a rich vocal narration. The relevance
of the arts is indeed immeasurable. The stage arts because of its
people to people power even in the age of the internet and digital
mediation, still retains open, new and potentially transformative
means of perception, explanation and education.
The trip equally exposed one to the usefulness of bequests and
gifts for the benefit of more people. I am still trying to look for the
list of Nigerians who have given up their personal estates or buildings for the public good. In Bellagio, one had cause to look up the
list of Nigerian Foundations that give grants and gifts to NGO’s or
organizations in the arts. Sadly, most of the search turned up the
fact that most give for music and lately comedy because these are
the aspects of the arts that draw the crowds. Most of us in search
of funds to do our work on a consistent basis continue to turn to
foundations and bodies that give to the arts in ‘Africa’. This is broad
but the trend in the last two years is that a lot of funding attention
is given to arts organizations working in South Africa and lately
North Africa. There are sadly no foundations or bodies devoted
solely to giving for the arts. If anyone turns up a search contrary to
mine I would very much want to be educated. In a country with our
population and wealth this is a very sad commentary. This for me
is another pointer to the fact that though we are a wealthy, rich and
blessed nation, we are still very poor in spirit.
However, on coming back, one was again struck by the oddities
of our nation. Have you returned through Abuja airport recently?
First, while waiting to clear immigration, the majority have their
passports checked while some are waived thorough another point
to go on without any checks. Not the diplomatic queue. Second, you
get to the baggage claim section. It strikes you that the belt is a very
small one. Then there is the array of trolleys waiting to carry luggage.
There is also a large array of people standing by the belt and most of
them are not even passengers! Some of the passengers go to sit on
benches and give their names to these ‘agents’ with trolleys to retrieve
their luggage. This causes a lot of ‘go-slow’ on the belt and in the
process a lot of boxes and bags get thrown. In the process of all this,
even if you are lucky to retrieve your luggage you cannot leave the belt
area because you have been blocked in by those with trolleys, those
waiting to collect their luggage and those just hanging around with
nothing to do. The surreal in all this is we are all just waiting by the
belt, watching the luggage go round and those that have collected are
also just looking because they cannot leave. It is a chaotic situation.
Any attempt to protest this is greeted with – we are trying to make a
living! One would have thought that the ideal thing is for the trolleys
and their minders to wait outside the baggage claim area after customs and once you retrieve your luggage you seek their services? Why
would one go to sit on a bench and ask someone who did not travel
with you to retrieve your luggage? Welcome back home.
Concluded

PAGE 30

Arts & Culture

PEOPLES DAILY, WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 13, 2013

The Military, Politics, and Power in Nigeria (I)
Book Review
Title: Ibrahim Babangida: The
Military, Politics, and Power
in Nigeria
Author: Dan Agbese
Year of Publication: 2012
Publisher: Adornis and Abbey
Place of Publication: London
No of pages: 433
Reviewer: Umaru Pate

T

his is a book on the story of
Ibrahim Babangida, Nigeria’s
Military President for the period, 1985 to 1993. Written by Mr
Dan Agbese, one of the country’s
most respected newspaper editors
and finest columnists, it reveals
the story of IbrahimBabangida, the
orphan who rose from obscurity in
Minna to the zenith of his career
and shot his way to be the Military
President of the most populous African nation at the age of 44. The book,
more than any other document that
I have read on the subject gives a
detailed account on theBabangida
personality, his journey through life,
complexities, challenges and myths.
In the book, Agbese had achieved
his ambition of writing a “definitive
biography of the most controversial
political figure in the country today”.
The book has eighteen chapters spread over 433 pages with an
introductory prologue as well as a
closing epilogue. It addresses the
common aspects of an individual’s
life; in this case, explaining the environment and circumstances of
the birth of Ibrahim Babangida; his
early childhood, Islamic, primary
and secondary schooling; relationship with parents, relatives and community members. It traces his rise
in the Military and reveals his mainstreaming into Military politics and
the power structure in the country
up to the time he shot his way to the
Presidency; and his reign and stepping aside.
The first two chapters focus on
the earlier days of Ibrahim Babangida who, together with his only
sister, Hannatu, grew up as orphans.
Relatives, family friends and the
community saw him through the
primary and later secondary school
at Bida. Babangida grew up with
mates, friends and elders that have
remained in his life till date. The fellow was born with the art of prospecting, promoting and protectingvaluablefriends, in addition to
being endowed with a high sense
of charm and generosity, traits
that have significantly influenced
and affected his relationships and
directions in life. The fellow, from
the onset had abundance of “care,
compassion and sympathy” in him.
He was a very popular boy in the
primary as well as the secondary
school where he was also appointed the Head boy in the final year.
From chapter three, the reader
is introduced to the story of the
Nigerian Army and specifically,
howBabangidajoined the Nigerian
Military Training College (later
NDA), and his formative years in
the service after being commissioned in 1963. From then on, Babangida and friends lived and enjoyed their days as young officers in
Kaduna. In the mid-1960s, Babangida and colleagues actively par-

ticipated in containing the violent
political upheavals that erupted in
Tiv land and the Western Region.
That, perhaps, “begun what was to
become a long trek to the destiny
that fate had decreed for him” in
the politics of the nation.
Babangida’s experiences and
active involvement in Military politics beginning from the first coup
in 1966 dominate chapters four to
five. The chapters reveal the details
of the Nzeogwu led coup and the
plot that saw to the ousting of General Ironsi and the eventual rise of
General Gowon as the Head of State.
Here, too, the reader is exposed to
the story of the civil war and Babangida’s active participation when “all
the time, he featured prominently;
his name echoed all over”. But it was
not all luck for him. At a point, he
was shot and wounded in the battle
front with “the bullet … lodged in
his chest and he needed surgery to
remove it” but opted not to remove
the bullet; it has remained in him
till date.Incidentally, that gunshot
hastened his marriage to Maryam
in September, 1969. He reasoned
that it was just luck that he survived
the shot. It would have been the end
of the family tree; a thought that he
rejected particularly with him being
the only surviving male child of his
parents. Thus, to ensure that the
lineage has continued, he hurriedly
married and returned to the battle
front to see to the end of the war.

Chapters six and seven revealBabangida’s deep involvement and
participation in the coup that removed General Gowon and installed
General MurtalaMuhammed. He
played a very strategic role with officers like Yar’adua, Buhari, Sani
Bello and Joe Garba in installing
the government and influencing the
performance of the administration.
He was admitted into the Supreme
Military Council (SMC) during the
administration, making him the
most junior officer in the highest ruling authority in the land. That was
an important landmark in his life
because it exposed him to immense
political education, helped him to
know more people and learnt a lot
about political intrigues, balancing
andscheming. Perhaps, one major
deed that catapulted Babangida’s
profile in the regime was his role in
foiling the Dimka led coup against
General Muhammad’s regime in
1976. His courageous act of bravery
in dislodging armedDimka from the
Broadcasting House unarmed and
without
sheddingblood,brought
him fame and wider recognition
and respect in and out of the Military. Suddenly, his name shone all
over Nigeria as the fearless officer
that confronted the coup plotters
and successfully dislodged them
and foiled theconspiracy.
In 1981, Babangida became
the Director of Army Staff Duties
at the Defence Headquarters and

was promoted a Major General.
Indeed, “his star and profile were
rising. Few people failed to notice
that”. Chapters eight and nine focus
on the period of the civilians and
the plot that led to their overthrow
by the Military on the night of December31, 1983. Again, it was clear
that Babangida was deeply involved
from conception of the coup to its
delivery. In the words of Agbese,
“Babangida and Idiagbon were coordinating most of the activities in
the north and certain parts of the
west and the east”. In fact, upon
hearing of the coup, a leading politician in the Shagari government instantly identified Babangida as “the
‘moving spirit behind the coup’ with
the support of retired Major General Yar’adua”. The coup was successfully staged and General Buhari
emerged the Head of State with Babangida as the Chief of Army Staff.
Chapter nine is devoted to the
performance, controversies and the
challenges of the Buhari regime.
The sailing was indeed rough and
frustrating for Babangida, making
him to maintain low visibility, confined to the background. In less
than a year, deep crack had ‘appeared in the leadership of the military administration… Babangida
found himself on one side and Buhari on the other”. Serious distrust
fuelled by rumours and ill wind
between the two leading figures
frustrated Babangida to the point
of contemplating of resigning from
service and quitting the government. His childhood friend, General
Nasko persuaded him against the
idea. Clearly, an irreversible battle
line was drawn between the Head
of State and the Chief of Army Staff.
The outcome was the Babangida
coup that threw out Buhari on August 27, 1985.
Chapter ten gives the details of
the Babangida coup; a blow by blow
account of what transpired and
the tension and suspense that accompanied the dramatic take over
from General Buhari.Babangida
mounted the saddle fully conscious
of the situation in the country and
the challenges that the government
must address. He knew that Nigerians expected much from him and
“being a good student of people
and environment”; he must win the
hearts and minds of the citizens. In
particular, he was confronted with
three major issues, namely, how to
endear himself to the public; how
to win over the politicians who
were calling for a return to civil rule
two years into Buhari’s regime; and
how to halt the economic decline.
Accordingly, the regime set out
painting the picture of a sensitive
leadership that is conscious of the
rights and interests of the people
as opposed to the one it overthrew.
Series of programmes and activities pertaining to the political direction of the country, economic
recovery, human rights, press freedom and general matters preoccupied the regime’s attention in its
first six months in office. But four
months into his reign, Babangida
uncovered a coup plot in which a
friend and senior member of the
government, Major General Vatsa
and some officers close to him were
implicated. The plotters were tried
and eventually sentenced based on
the law.

POEM OF
THE WEEK
Telescope to the
planets
This life that
I’ve dedicated myself to
Is delicate–
Sometimes the solitude
That I ride
Terrifies me, its interiors
Are made of glass ceilings,
At any second
They can crack,
Shatter and pour down
shiny pieces
(Silver) and I would be
touched, subdued,
Killed by that frozen
darkness.
Like the moving black
In ancient space hovering
Around the planets, I
Fight to exist.
Words screaming
For life shift to the page–
Always shifting and so
I let them go.
They come in
A flood, a rainbow–even
In shallow waters they
Still pull their weight.
These starry words have
Built their home away from
Home–their house is my
House where I
Yield to the power
Of their soft waves and
Engraved upon my soul
Is a telescope to
The wonders of
The universe, the sun
blazing,
The moon’s belly cowering
And a seasoned poet.

Meditation in
the Cemetery
This is
A writer’s territory
Everywhere
Is the history
Of waiting and years
History repeated
And slowly
Everything
Occupational is divorced
From nature
The morning after church
There’s nothing
Foreign about this silence
It burns the air like poetry
The skin of William Carlos
William’s
Plums – dew is bitten
I find poverty and
Sacred objects where I am
standing
A contract with God
Phil Collins
Is on the radio
Telling me
To think twice
Christina’s Rossetti’s
summer
Has come and gone
It is so cold here
That it feels as if my feet
Are in a cement bucket.

QUOTE
“Someone who dreams
cannot be forced to stop—
there are no limitations to
dreams, because we do not
own dreams, dreams are from
God.”
― Christina Westover,
Poisoning Sylvie

PEOPLES DAILY, WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 13, 2013

ANALYSIS

T

he arrest, at the end of
October, of Essam elErian, a senior leader in
Muslim Brotherhood’s
political arm, places in prison
a near totality of the most
outspoken Muslim Brotherhood
(MB) leaders. They join the
thousands of low and middle
ranking MB members who are
lucky enough to be alive, instead
of being killed like hundreds
of others, in the military’s and
security forces’ vengeful violence
that have occurred since the
military coup of July 3.
The on-going brutal crackdown
on the Brotherhood in Egypt
is the lowest point of a breathtaking political parable that, since
the ousting of Hosni Mubarak
in 2011, rocketed the MB from
prison to palace and then back
to prison. Not surprisingly, much
of the debate in and on Egypt
now revolves around finding an
explanation for these tumultuous
events and what to expect for this
85-year-old, mainstream Islamist
movement, which remains, in
spite of everything, the main
organised civilian political force
in the country.
As an outsider with a
background in history, I tend to
look more at structural changes
rather than everyday politics, and
it strikes me as no coincidence that
the target of such ruthless state
repression is the main organised
mass actor on the Egyptian scene,
after the demise of Mubarak’s
National Democratic Party.
MB and its Freedom and
Justice political offshoot, are
widely accused today of being
inherently authoritarian, arrogant
and most of all, incompetent.
This is certainly true and many
examples prove it, though it is
equally true that their “civil”
political rivals (mainly liberal
and left-wing parties and
organisations) are no less so. The
only difference lies in the fact that
the latter groups do not have a
true popular constituency to begin
with, and do not pose - at least
for the time being - any serious
challenge to the authoritarian
state. The result of these civil
forces’ actions, though, be they
intentional or not, will most likely
push the country towards a much
more authoritarian, arrogant and
incompetent regime than the one
endured during Morsi’s short
presidency.
Time will tell where the
responsibilities lie as the details
of the power struggle, inside
and outside the state, during
Morsi’s presidency, are revealed.
However, even in this highly
volatile and polarised situation,
it is undeniable that the MB
government was systematically if not always coherently - curbed
and boycotted by unreformed
authoritarian state structures and
institutions, the so called “deep”
state.
No one with even the most
superficial knowledge of the
Egyptian Leviathan state, could
ever think that any newcomer,

PAGE 31

International

The Muslim Brotherhood dilemma:
Where to go from here?

Brotherhood supporters during a protest

even the accommodating
conservative counter-elite of
the MB, would be welcome. The
Brothers, thus, while tasked to
govern the country, were in fact
engaging in a fierce battle for the
control of the state and for political
survival. With the country in
complete disarray, it was relatively
easy for the state’s elite to foment
an anti-Brotherhood climax and
to turn the MB into the scapegoat
for all the country’s woes.
The Brothers made many
mistakes, but clearly they cannot
be judged simply on the basis
of their actions while in power.
What they can be judged on is to
have paired up with the wrong
side since the start. As before,
with Gamal Abdel Nasser
(1952-54), Anwar Sadat (first
half of the 70s) and Mubarak
(80s), the Brothers brought
democratic legitimacy to the
regime, and kept searching
for a compromise even when
things were deteriorating. In
2011, they acted as a stabilising
force, abandoning the street
and approving the political
transition as designed by the

Supreme Council of the Armed
Forces (SCAF). But, just like
before, they were rapidly kickedoff the plate once the time was
ripe and their services were no
longer required.
What lies behind this
recurrent losing strategy political short-sightedness,
longing for power, or a too
gradualist and reformist
approach to change? It’s
probably a mix of these factors as
with all complex organisations
with a dominant position.
Our take however, is that the
Brotherhood leaders’ prevalent
strategy, after the ousting of
Mubarak did not aim to change
Egypt’s political and socioeconomic status quo, however
gradually. Rather, the main
objective was to incorporate
the “pious bourgeoisie” into the
country’s ruling elites and reestablish elite dominion on a far
firmer ground, thus ending the
anomaly of Islamist exclusion.
The Brotherhood’s inclusion
seemed also to have gained
US approval, providing the
Islamists delivered good (neo-

“

liberal) economic governance
and did not cross red lines on
sensitive strategic issues.
The MB is not a stranger to
serious waves of repression,
and history has already proven
the capability of this political,
but also, or maybe mainly,
socio-religious movement, to
survive dire times. For the time
being, and notwithstanding the
current, almost unprecedented
crackdown, the MB remains the
main organised political actor
in the country as the continuing
unrest, in spite of repression,
demonstrates.
On the other side, the regime
is far from being consolidated,
and all of the country’s acute
problems persist or are even
exacerbated after almost three
years of political instability. If
we listen to the supporters of
“the revolutionary process” idea,
we are only at the beginning of
a radical renewal of politics in
the Arab world that started with
the popular uprising in 2011, but
that could linger, with ups and
downs, for years or even decades
to come. For once, the engine

The Brothers made many
mistakes, but clearly they cannot
be judged simply on the basis of
their actions while in power.

for this process of change does
not lie in the elites or foreign
actors, but in the people largely
spontaneously protesting the
failure of the post-independence
development model or, better,
its more recent neo-liberal
twist.
What will the MB do in this
context? Most of the debates
on its current options focus
on a possible radicalisation of
the movement. However, the
violence/non-violence dilemma
that immediately comes to mind
does not seem to be the point. The
existence of an MB armed faction,
the so-called “secret apparatus”,
was only an asterisk linked to
the de-colonisation process. The
MB has long ago consolidated its
reformist non-violent approach.
Instead, the real debate should
revolve around two opposite
courses of action.
The first is the possibility for
the Brotherhood to be co-opted
again, should the current coalition
disintegrate. Or, the Brotherhood
could search for a different
strategy relying more on its
popular component and opting
for a radicalisation of its politicaleconomic programme. As unlikely
as this may be, it would be the only
way for the MB to spearhead the
revolt by providing a framework
for popular forces, and fulfil, with
a bolder strategy, the country’s
rising popular expectations. It
might be the last chance for this
distinguished movement not to
be slowly relegated to the sidelines
of history.
Source: Al Jazeera

PAGE 32

PEOPLES DAILY, WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 13, 2013

International

Tunisia police, Islamist
militants in deadly clash

Tunisian Islamist fighters

T

after a suicide bomber blew
himself up in the tourist resort
of Sousse last month, the first
such assault in more than a
decade.
“The security forces killed
one terrorist, wounded two
others and arrested the rest of
the group after a confrontation
with militants hiding in a
house in (the city of) Kebeli,”

said Mohamed Ali Aroui, a
spokesman for the interior
ministry.
He later said eight people
had been arrested and five cars
seized, including one that he
said was rigged up with a bomb.
Two members of the security
forces were wounded during the
clashes which took place at dawn
yesterday.

wenty nine people died
and several others were
injured after a bus collided
with a truck in South Africa, the
government said yesterday.
The accident happened in the
country’s eastern Mpumalanga
province on Monday night.
“Twenty nine people were
killed and scores of injured
passengers were taken to a nearby
hospital,” the government said in
a statement.
Road use is the primary

means of travel in Africa’s largest
economy, and the government
has introduced tough laws to
clamp down on reckless driving
and poorly maintained vehicles
as it tries to curb an annual toll of
14,000 deaths.
At least 22 people were killed
in March when a double-decker
bus crashed into the side of a
mountain while navigating the
dangerous Hex River Pass 140
km (80 miles) northeast of Cape
Town.

Bodies of the victims of the crash

E

humanitarian chief says.
John Ging said the two sides should
stop “filibustering” and give health
workers access to children in the South

unisian police killed an
Islamist militant and
wounded two others
yesterday the Interior
Ministry said, after clashes in a
southern city close to the border
with Libya, where authorities
say Tunisian militants are being
trained and armed.
Tunisia’s government has
increased security operations

29 dead in South
Africa truck, bus crash

T

Since an uprising ousted
leader Zine al-Abidine Ben Ali
nearly three years ago, Tunisia
has faced a widening split over
the role of political Islam in one
of the most secular countries in
the Muslim world.
But the assassination of two
secular opposition leaders this year by
Islamist militants sparked protests by
opposition parties which demanded
that the ruling moderate Islamist
party, Ennahda, resign because it was
too soft on hard-liners.
The government earlier this
year began a crackdown on Ansar
al-Sharia, a local militant group
authorities say is linked to the local
al Qaeda wing.
Tunisian authorities are also
worried about spillover from the
turmoil in neighboring Libya, where
the weak central government is
struggling to contain rival militias,
Islamist gunmen and former
fighters.
As well as Ansar al-Sharia,
North Africa is home to al Qaeda
in the Islamic Maghreb and other
militants such as those led by
veteran MokhtarBelmokhtar,
who claimed responsibility for the
attack on Algeria’s Amenas gas
plant in January.

Sudan polio vaccination ‘blocked’- UN

fforts to vaccinate 165,000
children against polio in
Sudan have been blocked by
the government and rebels, the UN

A polio vaccination worker

Kordofan and Blue Nile states.
The government and rebels had
ignored a Security Council resolution
to give health workers access, he said.
The UN fears that conflict in the two
states could lead to a polio outbreak.
According to the UN World
Health Organization, Sudan has
been polio-free for more than two
years.
South Kordofan and Blue Nile
border South Sudan, which seceded
from Sudan in 2011 after a peace deal
to end years of civil war.
The UN held talks with the
government and Sudan People’s
Liberation Movement-North
(SPLM-N) to carry out vaccinations
from 5 November to 12 November

but “unfortunately we have been
filibustered with process and
discussions and disputes which have
amounted to no access”, MrGing
told journalists, after briefing the
Security Council.
It should use its “significant
authority” to force the government
and SPLM-N to let health workers
in, he said.
China’s UN ambassador Liu Jieyi,
who is the current president of the UN
Security Council, said the lack of access
was “disturbing”.
However, he did not refer to
any action that the Security Council
intendedtotakeagainstthegovernment
and SPLM-N, the Associated Press
news agency reports.

DRC
leaves
Ugandahosted
talks with
rebels

T

he Congolese government
delegation has left Ugandanhosted talks with M23 rebels
after the two sides failed to agree
on the wording of a document
intended to officially end the
insurgency.
The peace talks, attended by
UN officials, took place in the
Ugandan city of Entebbe.
Lambert Mende, a spokesman
for the Democratic Republic of
Congo (DRC) government, blamed
Uganda for the breakdown.
“Uganda seems now to be
acting as part of the conflict. It has
interests in M23,” he said.
The failure to sign a document
to end the conflict shows the deep
mistrust in the region, a barrier
standing in the way of long-term
peace despite the defeat of the
M23’s 20-month insurgency by
DRC’s army.
OkelloOryem, Uganda’s junior
foreign affairs minister said he
expected it would take a few more
days before any deal could be
signed. Oryem did not comment
on DRC accusations that Uganda
was backing the rebels.
Mende said the government
was not prepared to sign a deal with
a rebel movement that had already
declared its own dissolution. The
DRC wants the rebels to pledge
not to take up arms again, he said.
The world’s largest UN
peacekeeping force is in the DRC,
helping the government fight M23.
Despite the demise of M23,
a plethora of other rebel groups
operate in DRC’s mineral-rich east,
which is also riddled with conflicts
over land, ethnicity and access to
resources.
The M23 group controlled
strings of towns in the mineral-rich
eastern DRC before troops backed
by a 3,000-strong UN force pushed
them out of the country last month.
Government troops wrestled
Bunagana, the last town in rebel
hands, from the group on October
31. Two days afterwards, and
20-months after they started the
rebellion, the rebels sued for a
ceasefire.

PEOPLES DAILY, WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 13, 2013

PAGE 33

International

China pledges bigger role for
free market as part of reforms

C

hina’s ruling party has
pledged to let markets
play a “decisive” role
in allocating resources,
as it unveiled a reform agenda
for the next decade, looking to
overhaul the world’s secondlargest economy to drive future
growth.
The official Xinhua news
agency announced yesterday the
close of the four-day meeting,
known as the Third Plenum, which
has traditionally set the economic
tone for a new government.
In the meeting, which brought
together all 376 members of the
ruling party’s Central Committee
and took place amid intense
security and secrecy, a decision
on “major issues concerning
comprehensively deepening
reforms” was approved, Xinhua
said.
Citing a communique, Xinhua
said that the market will play a
“decisive” role in the allocation
of resources, though it did not
elaborate. In previous policy
statements, the Communist
Party had often described
markets as playing a “basic” role
in allocating resources, Xinhua
said, meaning the new language
amounts to an upgrading of its

I

Xi Jinping

role.
China has in the past used the
meetings to signal major changes
in policy, most notably at a
Third Plenum in 1978, when it
embarked on the landmark drive
that has seen it transformed
over the past three decades from
a Communist-style command
economy into a key driver of global
growth, trade and investment.

Over the course of the meeting
Chinese state media repeatedly
raised the prospect of major
reforms. In a front page editorial,
party mouthpiece the People’s
Daily praised past economic
reforms for bringing prosperity to
the world’s most populous country
and called for more.
The meeting comes after
China’s economy racked up its

worst growth rate in 13 years in
2012, expanding at an annual rate
of 7.7 percent.
President Xi Jinping and
Premier Li Keqiang must unleash
new growth drivers as the
economy, after three decades of
breakneck expansion, begins to
sputter, burdened by industrial
overcapacity, piles of debt and
eroding competitiveness.

yria’s internationally recognised
opposition group has approved
nine “ministers” for an interim
government charged with running
Syrian territory that is in rebel hands.
The move by the National
Coalition followed its announcement
earlier in the day that it planned to
attend proposed peace talks with
the Syrian government, if certain
conditions were met.
It also stipulated that President
“Bashar al-Assad and those with the
blood of Syrians on their hands have
no role in the transitional phase and
Syria’s future”.
In a statement issued after two

days of meetings in the Turkish city
of Istanbul, the National Coalition
said it would take part in the Geneva
peace talks only if humanitarian aid
is allowed to reach besieged areas
and the government releases political
prisoners.
“Whether or not to go to Geneva
is the decision of the Syrian people,”
Louay Safi, a member and spokesman
of the National Council, said in a
statement on Sunday.
“The Coalition is nothing but a
mechanism to apply their will.”
The National Coalition has
struggled for months to cobble
together an interim government, in

part because of infighting among the
various exile groups involved, ranging
from secular intellectuals to Islamist
activists.
Western leaders have expressed
encouragement following the
National Coalition’s inclination to
take part in the Geneva talks.
Speaking in Abu Dhabi, John
Kerry, US secretary of state, said any
decision by the opposition to take part
in talks would be a “big step.”
“We take note of the fact that ...
the Syrian opposition voted to go to
the Geneva II [conference]. This is
a big step forward and a significant
one,” he said.

saying it,” Zarif said on an Iranian
TV talk show.
He said that “considerable
progress’’ was made during three
days of talks in Geneva, but claimed
that most of the hours were spent
with the US, Russia, China, Britain,
France and Germany trying
“to resolve differences among
themselves”.
The Iranian foreign minister
said he was still hopeful a deal
would be reached, but insisted any
agreement must include the lifting
of all Western sanctions against
Iran.
Kerry said earlier on Monday
that Iranian envoys had backed
away from a wider deal this

weekend seeking to ease Western
concerns that Tehran could one day
develop atomic weapons.

“There was unity but Iran
couldn’t take it,’’ Kerry said during
a stop in Abu Dhabi.

Syria’s opposition coalition picks cabinet

S

Khaled Saleh, spokesman of
the Syrian National Coalition

Iran, US trade blame over failed deal

I

ran and the United States have
blamed each other for the failure
to reach an agreement on a deal
to limit Iran’s uranium enrichment
in exchange for an easing of Western
sanctions in talks in Geneva.
Iran’s Foreign Minister
Mohammad Javad Zarif criticised
US Secretary of State John Kerry’s
remarks that blamed Iran for lack of
the deal and said that the American’s
“conflicting statements” damaged
confidence in the process.
“Conflicting statements harm
the credibility of the one who keeps
changing positions and damages
confidence. The goal of dialogue is to
reduce the lack of trust. Conflicting
talk doesn’t give credit to the person

Asia &
Middle East
Typhoon relief
effort picks up
in Philippines

Zarif

nternational relief efforts to help
the Philippines overcome the
devastation caused by Typhoon
Haiyan are building momentum.
Foreign governments and
international aid organisations have
pledged tens of millions of dollars
in emergency funds and supplies
and several countries are sending
warships.
Valerie Amos, the UN
humanitarian chief, released $25m
on Tuesday from the UN’s emergency
relief fund to supply emergency shelter
materials and household items, and
provide emergency food assistance,
health services, safe water supplies
and sanitation facilities across the
Philippines.
Amos told Al Jazeera she was not
happy with the international response
to the crisis.
“I don’t feel that they’re moving
fast enough,” she said.
Officials figures put the total
number of people killed by the storm
that hit the Philippines’ central islands
on Friday at 1,744.
However the UN says 10,000
people are feared dead in the city of
Tacloban alone.
Another 800,000 people have had
to flee their homes, and getting aid to
people is proving extremely difficult.
In total, close to 10 million in 41
provinces have been affected by the
disaster.
Both the US and Britain deployed
warships on Tuesday carrying
thousands of soldiers set to join a
major operation to help survivors.
The Pentagon said the aircraft
carrier USS George Washington,
equipped with 5,000 sailors and more
than 80 aircraft, left Hong Kong for
the Philippines, where it will be joined
by four other US navy ships.
It should arrive in two to three
days and join 180 members of the
US Marine Corps assisting in the
humanitarian efforts on the ground.
“The weather is pretty bad out
there, so we are limited by seas
and wind,” Captain Thomas Disy,
commander of the USS Antietam,
a missile cruiser that is part of the
carrier group, told reporters in Hong
Kong.
“But we are going to be going as
fast as we possibly can.”
The US has also pledged $20m
in aid.
Britain boosted its aid to $16m
and David Cameron, the prime
minister, said the destroyer ship HMS
Daring would sail to the Philippines
“at full speed” from its current
deployment in Singapore, along with
a Royal Air Force C-17 transport plane.
Ban Ki-moon, the UN chief,
said the aid effort “must expand
urgently in the days ahead”, while
the International Red Cross and
Red Crescent Movement appealed
for nearly $95m to provide 100,000
families with food, water and shelter
over 18 months.

PEOPLES DAILY, WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 13, 2013

PAGE 34

International

Polish police clash with far-right protesters

P

olish police used rubber bullets
to break up groups of masked
far-right youths who threw
fireworks and set fire to cars when a
nationalist march through the centre
of the capital turned violent.
The march is an annual event
to commemorate Poland’s national
Independence Day, and for the
third year in a row it broke down
into running battles in the middle
of Warsaw between rioters and riot
police.

Several thousand right-wing
protesters began their march
peacefully - watched by their own
stewards in orange vests and with a
police helicopter circling above.
The violence started when a few
dozen youths, their faces covered
by balaclavas and football scarves,
broke off from the procession into
a side street and started attacking
a building where left-wing radicals
occupied a squat.
Riot police moved in, and came

under attack from youths throwing
firecrackers and stones. As the rioters
dispersed, several cars were set on
fire.
Police spokesman Mariusz
Sokolowski said officers had used
rubber bullets, truncheons and
pepper spray against the rioters.
Several people were arrested. Five
officers were taken to hospital, local
media reported.
When the march reached the
Russian embassy - a symbol for

some Poles of repression during
Soviet rule - a part of the crowd threw
firecrackers towards the building, but
riot police formed a cordon around
the perimeter, and the crowd later
moved on.
“There is no excuse for
hooliganism. We condemn the
violation of the Vienna Convention,”
Marcin Wojciechowski, a spokesman
for the Polish Foreign Ministry, said
on Twitter in reference to rules on the
protection of foreign missions.

Russia can seize Putin foe
Navalny’s assets- court

R

ussia can seize assets
of President Vladimir
Putin’s most prominent
critic, a Moscow court
ruled yesterday, in connection
with embezzlement charges that
the activist says is an attempt
by the authorities to intimidate
opponents.
Under charges filed by the
federal Investigative Committee
last month, Alexei Navalny and
his brother Oleg face up to 10
years in jail for theft and money
laundering. No date for the trial
has yet been set.
In a separate case, a Russian
court handed Navalny, 37, a
suspended five-year sentence for
theft in September.
“Today the court allowed
the seizure of property,” a
spokeswoman for the court said.
She said it was up to federal
investigators to decide if and when
to enforce the ruling.
Navalny has called the new
charges an attempt to “terrorize”
those who displease the authorities.
He wrote on his blog yesterday:
“I have no idea what property
they’ve seized. They didn’t invite
me to the court when they decided
the issue.”
Navalny, who has campaigned

online against corruption among
Russia’s ruling elite, helped lead a
wave of protests after allegations
of fraud in the December 2011
parliamentary election won by
Putin’s ruling party.
Investigators have accused the
Navalny brothers of defrauding
a Russian branch of the French
cosmetics firm Yves Rocher of 26
million roubles ($814,600), and a
cargo delivery firm, the Glavnoye
Podpisnoye Agentstvo, of 4 million
roubles. Navalny has called the
charges “absolute nonsense”.
He was convicted in July of
organizing the theft of 16 million
roubles from a timber firm in the
Kirov region in 2009, after a trial
he described as Putin’s revenge for
challenging the Kremlin. He was
unexpectedly freed while awaiting
an appeal hearing, allowing him to
run in Moscow’s mayoral election,
where he posted a strong second
place against an ally of Putin.
Navalny’s assets on a preelection declaration included
a third of a 78.5-square-metre
apartment, a 2004-model Hyundai
car, a Russian-made Lada car, a
bank account holding 2.7 million
roubles ($82,400) and shares in
several companies.
The Council of Europe

yesterday said Russian judges were
not fully independent and Putin
should reform the judicial system,
long criticized as subject to political
interference and an obstacle to
foreign investment.

The report by Europe’s human
rights body follows international
criticism of Putin over the
conviction of opponents, including
Navalny and members of the Pussy
Riot protest group.

Navalny

Venezuelans throng stores amid price curb

T

hrongs of Venezuelans stood
in lines outside appliance
stores for a fifth day yesterday
after President Nicolas Maduro
deployed the army to force retailers
to slash prices.
After taking control of several

Maduro

appliance stores last week, Maduro
vowed late on Sunday to step up
inspections of businesses selling
shoes, clothes, automobiles and
other goods to make sure they aren’t
gouging consumers.
He also said he will impose

limits on profits as the government
tries to curb inflation running at
54 percent.
In eastern Caracas, the national
capital, a five-block line of bargain
hunters, some waiting since
Saturday, snaked from a JVG
electronics store hoping for the
chance to buy televisions, washing
machines and refrigerators at deep
discounts.
“We have been waiting for this
for a long time,” said Sixto Mesa, a
government supporter.
Maduro is gambling that by
expanding price controls he can
regain support he has lost since
winning election in April, as
inflation soared to a two-decade
high and the US dollar shot up on
the black market to nine times its
official value.
Analysts said the measures might

bolster government candidates in
next month’s mayoral elections,
but warned that the tougher
rules are likely to inflict more
damage on Venezuela’s economy
by discouraging investment and
adding to shortages that reached a
record level in October.
“We can’t just close the
businesses; the owners have to
go to jail,” Maduro said in an
impassioned speech on Sunday
night in which he cited Jewish,
Muslim and Christian texts to
harangue businessmen he accuses
of usury.
“We can’t allow our hard
currency to be used to rob people
through the sale of these goods.”
At the same time Maduro is
attacking merchants he calls the
“parasitic bourgeoisie”, he has
vowed zero tolerance for looting.

Europe and
Americas
EU negotiators
clinch deal on
2014 budget

Van Rompuy

N

egotiators in Brussels have
clinched a deal on the 2014
EU budget after a night of
hard talks, cutting spending by about
6% compared to 2013.
The budget is 0.5bn euros
bigger than what austerityconscious government leaders were
demanding.
It reflects stricter new terms
agreed by EU leaders in February.
There will be greater funding for
economic growth, jobs, innovation
and humanitarian aid, Lithuania’s
Deputy Finance Minister Algimantas
Rimkunas said in a statement. His
country currently holds the sixmonth rotating EU presidency.
EU agencies dealing with
migration, asylum and border
control will also be strengthened,
as will the European financial
supervisory authorities, he added.
About two-thirds of the budget
will go on subsidies for farmers and
on development projects in the EU’s
poorer regions, as in previous years.
But the spending on such projects
- called the “cohesion” budget - is
being cut by about 7bn euros.
Four governments voted against
the compromise deal - the UK,
Denmark, the Netherlands and
Sweden, German ARD television
reported. They wanted the EU to
make deeper cuts.
The deal was reached after
16 hours of negotiation, and still
requires final approval from the
parliament and EU ministers next
week.
The UK Conservative leader in
Europe, Richard Ashworth MEP,
welcomed “what is an effective freeze
of the EU budget - headline spend is
still set to fall by 6%”.
He said that “alongside the
historic 3.8% reduction which we
have secured on the EU’s long-term
budget, this is further evidence of us
bringing genuine discipline to EU
spending”.
“It is particularly welcome that
money has been switched away
from less-useful budget headings to
the important areas of research and
development, education, training
and jobs,” he added. He called the
budget “a step in the right direction”.
There remains some opposition
to the deal in the European
Parliament, however.
Helga Truepel MEP of the
Greens said it was “a bad deal that
will continue the perpetual cycle of
EU under-budgeting”.

PEOPLES DAILY, WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 13, 2013

PAGE 35

Strange World

French restaurants seat guests
by how good-looking they are

L

ooks are undoubtedly
very important, but some
people make too much
of physical appearance.
A group of restaurants
in Paris is accused by two of their
former employees of seating clients
according to their good-looks.
“The good-looking ones are led to
the good places, where they can
be easily seen”, claim the former
employees, and “as for the nongood-looking ones, it is imperative
that they be dispatched to the
corners of the room”.
The restaurants accused of
having such a shallow policy are
strategically situated near popular
tourist attractions: Le Georges is in
the the famous Centre Pompidou,
while Cafe Marly is located near
the Louvre museum. Apparently,
this marketing strategy has a lot
to do with the way in which the
two restaurants are perceived by
those passing by them. In fact, the
staff members in charge of placing
the guests at their tables were

allegedly confronted for seating less
attractive people at the best tables.
“What are these ugly mugs doing
at this table? Everyone can see them
when they come in. It’s very bad for
our image,” the employees were
allegedly reprimanded when they
broke the rule. The only exception
to this rule are celebrities, who,
regardless of their looks, are
automatically offered the the best
seats in the house.
If people are seated according
to their attractiveness, what
happens when people call to make
reservations? The restaurant’s
personnel obviously can’t tell if
someone is good-looking or not
just by hearing their voice, so the
solution is that of saying “We’ll do
what we can but we can promise
nothing”. The decision of where
to place the guests is taken the
minute they show their faces.
It’s not only the guests who are
selected according to their looks,
but also the hostesses working for
the two Parisian restaurants. As

former employees recall, women
have to be tall, model-looking and
younger than 30 in order to be
hired.
The two restaurants, Le Georges
and Cafe Marly, are part of the

Costes group, owned by Thierry
and Gilbert Costes. Although
Gilbert is allegedly proud of
implementing this criterion, the
official spokesperson of the group
declared that the owners “have

no comment”. The position of
other members of the Le Georges
restaurant is rather secretive, as
they don’t deny the existence of this
practice but they refuse to offer any
explanation.

Diners at the restaurant

test demanded for SouthIndian “Lady Tarzan” talks to Gender
Korean women’s football player
elephants and they listen
H

Toppo

1

4-year-old Nirmala Toppo is the
heroine of Rourkela, an industrial
city located in the Indian state of
Odisha, after she talked the elephants
that had invaded the settlement into
returning to the forest.
The Catholic girl from Jharkland
claims she began talking to elephants
after her mother was killed by some
pachyderms. “I then decided to
learn the techniques to drive them
away”. The technique Nirmala refers
to involves praying and literally
talking to the elephants. “First I
pray and then talk to the herd. They
understand what I say”. By using
these simple “tricks”, the girl helped
the authorities of Rourkela deal with
a herd of elephants that had settled in
a residential area of the city.

“When the herd entered the
city, we tried our best to contain its
movement. We managed to make
the herd go into the local football
stadium, but we were not sure how
we could drive them back to the
forest. It was a difficult task,” forest
official P. K. Dhola said. Out of
options and pressed for time, they
remembered that there was someone
who could help them. “We knew of
a tribal girl who lived in Jharkhand,
who talked to elephants and was
able to drive them back. We called
up her father and she arrived along
with some other tribal people from
her village”.
Nirmala didn’t disappoint her
people: she walked many miles with
the elephants, until she got them

back to the forests. This caused her
infectious blisters on her feet, but as
she states, “the infection is now gone
and my wound has almost dried up”.
Although what Nirvala did worked as
a charm, there are skeptical voices
that doubt her methods. For example,
the social activist Rabi Pradhan
points out that there are no scientific
studies demonstrating that elephants
understand human vocabulary.
Indeed, if there was a study asserting
that, elephants would have to be
polyglots. However, Nirmala claims
that she speaks her tribal language
when she addresses the elephants
and that this is why they understand
her.
There are people who believe
that elephants understand people
as a result of their cohabitation.
This sure sounds familiar, doesn’t
it? As a member of the Jharkhand’s
Simdega district council states, “we
call Nirmala a lady Tarzan. Whenever
marauding elephants enter a village
or destroy crops, the local forest
department officials never turn up.
It is then that the villagers approach
Nirmala for help. And she is able to
successfully drive away the herd after
talking to them”.
Almost 3000 elephants live
in the forests of 3 Indian states,
areas that witnessed many conflicts
between humans and animals,
especially because of the mining
industry. A report of the ministry of
environments and forests estimates
that more than 80 people and 200
elephants were killed in the last 10
years.

ere’s something that doesn’t
happen every day: the coaches
of five of South Korea’s seven
women soccer league teams have
threatened to boycott the national
competition if Seoul City Amazons
striker Park Eun-Seon does not have
a gender test. The 26-year-old was
named best forward this season, with
19 goals in 22 matches.
At 1.80 meters tall and weighing
74 kilograms, park Eun-Seon really
does have a physique worthy of her
team’s name, and could probably even
secure a place in a men’s soccer team,
which is exactly why several coaches of
rival squads are threatening to boycott
South-Korea’s women’s soccer league if
she isn’t required to take a gender test.
But according to Seoul City Amazons
officials, Park’s manly physique isn’t
reason enough to humiliate the player
by forcing her to pass yet another
gender test.
They claim the whole thing is
part of a “conspiracy” because she has
shown such remarkable form this last
season, after a long career slump. Seoul
Sports Council general secretary Kim
Joon-Soo seems to agree. ”We have
no intention of accepting the gender
verification test just to stop the boycott,”
he said. ”This is a serious violation of
human rights that she’s suffering for a
second time. The question regarding
Park’s gender identity shall never be
raised again. The city of Seoul will take
all necessary measures to protect our
player’s human rights.”
The Korea Football Association
said Park has already passed a gender
test when she was 15, and the player
herself wrote on Facebook that she
has had to pass the test several times,

including in a World Cup and in an
Olympics, and there were never any
problems. ”I know these people are
trying to destroy me … In the past, I
would have thrown my hands up and
left, but I’ve worked so hard to get to this
point, and I will not give up so easily.”
It’s true that in the past, she
preferred to back away when her gender
was questioned, the last time being in
2010, during a South Asia tournament.
China raised questions about Park
Eun-Seon sex, and she preferred to
back out from the competition. This
time, it appears she is taken a different
approach.
Originally, the coaches of six rival
teams asked for yet another gender
test, but on Thursday, one of them
expressed regret and announced his
resignation, adding that their motives
had been misunderstood and that they
had been joking. Yeah, very funny!

Eun-Seon

PAGE 36

Digest
Want to feel a
warm glow? It’s just
a walk in the park
By Nick Mcdermott

L

osing weight and staying
happy could be as easy as
a walk in the park.
Time spent enjoying
nature helps boost our selfcontrol and optimism by up to a
sixth, scientists claim.
Their study found that time
spent in urban environments
leaves us prone to rash decisions,
while exposure to the great
outdoors helps us slow down and
better consider our future.
The results suggest increased
competition for resources in
towns and cities forces us to
focus on immediate reward,
while the abundance found in

nature allows us to regain selfcontrol.
Lead researcher Professor
Mark Van Vugt from VU
University Amsterdam said on
a practical level, the findings
indicate it would be better to
exercise outdoors, as we are
more likely to stick to our fitness
regime.
The same approach could
also be applied to big financial
decisions, with a short walk
in a park or woods help an
individual to focus on the future
and whether to invest now or
keep on saving.
‘Urban landscapes tend to
make us very impulsive and

Finding: Researchers found that time
spent in urban environments leaves
us prone to making rash decisions

more short-term thinkers. Being
in towns and cities increase
competition - for status,
resources, partners - and so
we feel the need to make quick
decision,’ said Professor Van
Vugt.
‘But being in lush, green
nature elicits a feeling of resource
abundance. This allows to think
more long-term and for higher
reward.
‘Nature promotes eating a
larger piece of cake after exercise,
while being in a city, our instinct
is for instant opportunism, and
we would opt for a smaller slice
of cake immediately.’
The study, published in the
journal Proceedings of the Royal
Society B, found people’s selfdiscipline increased by 10 to 16
per cent after exposure to nature
as opposed to urban landscapes.
The report said: ‘Cues of
natural environments- as
opposed to man-made urban
environments - entice people to
prefer greater, delayed rewards
over smaller, immediate rewards.
‘This is an important result
because delay of gratification
is an essential ingredient for
promoting individual and
social change pertaining to,
for instance, healthy lifestyles,
antisocial behaviour, resource
conservation and population

PEOPLES DAILY, WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 13, 2013

Simple: Losing
weight and staying
happy could be as easy
as a walk in the park, a
study has found

growth.’
It also found that the benefits
were a result of people caring
more about the future, rather
than a boost in mood.
Adults in Britain spend an
average if three-and-a-half hours
of hours in front of the small
screen each day - around 15 per
cent of their life.
The population’s increasingly
sedentary lifestyle and vast use
of tablet computers, televisions,
smartphones, laptops and
games consoles, has been linked
to obesity problems and an
increased risk of cardiovascular
disease and Type 2 diabetes.
A previous study by Utah

University found that leaving
your laptop at home, switching
off the smartphone and taking
a walk in nature can help boost
brain power by as much as 50
per cent.
Researchers found that
adults performed much better
in a creative test after spending
four days in the great outdoors
disconnected from modern
technology.
It also found that being in a
park or woodland can improve
your problem-solving skills, thus
explaining why a holiday helps
recharge the batteries after busyperiods of work.
Source: Dailymail.co.uk

Early bedtimes could combat child obesity
P
By Emma Innes

utting children to bed earlier
may be a simple way to keep
their weight down, research has
shown.
Childhood obesity is not only
caused by fast food, sugary drinks
and lack of exercise, the new findings
suggest.
Lack of sleep also appears to be an
important factor.

Scientists made the discovery
after adjusting the sleep patterns of 37
children aged eight to 11, more than
a quarter of whom were overweight
or obese.
For the first week of the study,
children were asked to sleep their
typical amount. During the second
week the children randomly had
their sleep time either reduced or
lengthened. Over the course of the third

When children increased
their sleep, they reported
consuming an average 134
fewer calories per day and
lost half a pound in weight

week, they were given the opposite
sleep schedule.
When children increased their
sleep, they reported consuming an
average 134 fewer calories per day and
lost half a pound in weight.
Tests showed they had lower
fasting levels of the hunger-regulating
hormone leptin.
‘Findings from this study suggest
that enhancing school-age children’s

sleep at night could have
important implications
for prevention and
treatment of obesity,”
said Dr Chantelle
Hart, from Temple
University in
Philadelphia.
‘The potential role
of sleep should be
further explored.’
The findings
are published in the
journal Pediatrics.
Dr Hart is now
working on a followup study to determine
whether increased
sleep produces
significant changes
in eating patterns,
activity, and weight.
‘Given all of its
documented benefits,
in many ways, you
can’t lose in promoting
a good night’s sleep,’ she
added.
S o u r c e :
Dailymail.co.uk

Researchers have found that
childhood obesity is not only caused
by fast food, sugary drinks and lack
of exercise, but also a lack of sleep

ll efforts by the stakeholders
of All Progressives Congress
(APC), Bauchi to form
interim leadership of the party in
the state failed as the exercise was
marred with clashes of interest
Our correspondent gathered
that two groups emerged at the
meeting expected to nominate
members into the interim leadership
held yesterday. The meeting was
attended by party stalwarts in the
state but the process ended up in
chaos.

The youths in their hundreds
chased away the party elders from
the venue of the convention at
Zaranda Hotel in Bauchi when their
favoured candidates lost out.
Our
correspondent
learnt
that some elders, led by Senator
Mohammed
A.
Mohammed,
attempted to impose themselves as
leaders of the party and this fid not
go down well with the youths who
disrupted the meeting.
This reporter learnt that at the
meeting, Senator Mohammed was
nominated by his group to be the
interim chairman of the party with

Dr Yakubu Leme as Secretary, Alhaji
Garba Gardi as Treasurer and Ali
Wakili as Publicity Secretary.
His nomination did not go well
with some of the party members
and they vehemently rejected them
as they were calling for free and
fair election. They also advocated
the idea of making an independent
person as the protem chairman.
Other party stalwarts who
backed Senator Nazif’s position
include Alhaji Sani Mallami, former
All Nigeria Peoples Party Chairman
in Bauchi, Alhaji Baffa Tafida,
former Chairman Action Congress

of Nigeria and Alhaji Aliyu Saidu
former Chairman of the defunct
Congress for Progressive Change .
Others are Hon Isa Hamma
Missau, Hon Ibrahim Zailani, Alhaji
Abdulmuminu Muktar, Garba
Malu Chiroman Shira, Hon Aliyu
Gebi,Hon Salisu Sabo all of them
backing the emergence of Colonnel
Hameed Ali (Rtd) as the interim
leader of the party before the general
convention.
Meanwhile most of the
stakeholders refused to speak to
the press insisting that they would
resolve their internal differences.

enator representing Kano
South, Alhaji Kabiru Gaya,
has said that Kano state
governor, Engineer Rabiu Musa
Kwankwaso, would be huge asset to
the All Progressives Congress (APC)
both in Kano and in the country
if he eventually decamps into the
opposition party.
Gaya, who was speaking to
newsmen in his Kano residence
recently challenged any politician
that would not be happy to see that
his or her party is having Kwankwaso
in his fold.
Gaya, who is also the Chairman
of the Senate Committee on Local
Governments, hailed the move
stressing that Kwankwaso is welcome
to join the opposition party.
“I am happy that governor
Kwankwaso coming to APC with his
people.
Why should I envy people to
come and help me in building my
party? He is much welcomed and

we need people like him to join us
and push the country forward”, he
disclosed.
He
added
that
when
Kwankwaso join they would sit
with him (Kwankwaso) to fashion
out modalities on how to further
strengthen the structures and pillars
of the party.
The former governor stressed
that he so much believed in destiny
and God’s plan and that was why he
saw no reason why he should make

a choice on who to join APC and who
not to join the party.
“It is God that gives whatever
he chooses to His servants; so why
should I envy anyone coming to join
hands with us in our strong party?”,
he stated.
Gaya who was on his way to
monitor some projects he executed
in his Senatorial district, Kano
South stated that in his sixth year as
a Senator, he was able to empower
more than 7,000 people, apart

from erecting three bridges in his
constituency that cost over one
billion Naira.
“I singlehandedly helped in the
establishment of 6,000 irrigation
farms across the Kano South
Senatorial district. In any of the 16
local governments that made up my
constituency, I established at least
one Skills Acquisition Centre for
our youth and women. I was able to
put on 500 street lights in four local
governments,” he claimed.

wo
community
based
groups, the Lafia Progressive
Association (LAPA) and the
Alago Union (AU),have lauded the
leadership skills of Senator Abdullahi
Adamu, saying the former governor
has placed the state on a genuine part
of growth and development.
Both groups, through their
respective presidents, Isa Abdullahi

of LAPA and Aliyu Ari Lawal of Alago
Union,made this known in separate
speeches when the groups paid Sen
Adamu a visit at the weekend in
Keffi.
While
acknowledging
the
tremendous foresight of the former
governor, particularly in laying
foundation for peace in the state, the
groups noted that his forays into such
areas like agriculture, education and
infrastructural development during

his eight year tenure, has placed the
state in better stead.
In his response, Adamu, while
commending the two groups for
identifying with him, urged them to
participate fully in the development
of the state.
He noted that as groups, they
have a critical role to play in initiating
programs that could positively
impact on their communities and
the state at large.

Edo APC:
Tinubu, Buhari
advises INEC
ahead of 2016

F

ormer Lagos state Gov. Bola
Ahmed Tiinubu yesterday
urged
the
leadership
of the Independent National
Electoral Commission (INEC) to
re-strategise ahead of the 2015
general elections.
He made the appeal at Gov.
Adams Oshiomhole’s fifth year
anniversary in office and launch
of the All Progressive Congress
(APC) party in Edo.
``We
are
therefore
reminding INEC that it has
the responsibility to direct the
people and correctly advise the
people that it will guarantee a
free, fair and credible election.
``We know that power is not
easy to surrender. But we want
it and we will get it in an honest
manner because APC has come
to stay,’’ he said.
He commended the people
of the state for their foresight
in voting for Oshiomhole
adding, ``your votes have not
been misplaced by the amount
of massive development being
experienced in the state.
``Since you took that decision
five years ago, Oshiomhole has
never looked back in terms of
infrastructure and economic
development of Edo state.
``You
have
seen
and
witnessed
the
radical
development. But let me say that
this is not our final destination.
``Our destination is to take
over the federal level to replicate
what Oshiomhole and other APC
governors are doing in their
states.
``You have accepted APC
and it is now your duty to begin
to spread the good news around
your
neighbourhoods
and
communities’’.
Similarly,
former
Military Head of State, Gen
Muhammadu Buhar (rtd), who
congratulated Oshiomhole on
his achievements, said, ``I am
happy that the people can now
see the difference’’.
Buhari said that he was
optimistic that Oshiomhole
would continue with his good
work of developing the state.
He said that an APC
government at the centre would
work to eradicate poverty and
provide security to the nation.
``If you vote us into power,
we are prepared to tackle cases of
abduction and killings of people
across the nation so that people
can move freely in whatever part
of this country.
``APC is here to take power
in 2015 to effectively manage the
economic fortunes of our land,’’
he said. (NAN)

PAGE 38

PEOPLES DAILY, WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 13, 2013

Politics

I’m committed to ensuring Jonathan
doesn’t come back in 2015-Fani-Kayode
Why are you in Dutse?
am here to see one of the most
distinguished and important
figures in our country today.
A man that has dedicated most
of his life to making a difference
in the fortunes of Nigeria. He is
a friend of mine, he is a brother
and I have come to look around
the state. I have also come to have
consultations with him about a
number of things that are going
on in the country today and we are
all trying to join hands together
to ensure that this country moves
in the right direction especially as
2015 is approaching. I must say
that I am very impressed with what
I have seen here because I did a
tour for about four hours and I am
impressed and at the end of the day.
That is the most important thing;
the ability of a leader and chief
executive of the State to be able to
actually show tangible results and
I must say that I am absolutely
overwhelmed.
Now I can understand why
so many good things have been
said about his excellency by so
many key leaders in our country
especially our leader, President
Olusegun Obasanjo. I have seen
why he is so moved by the efforts of
his excellency. Seeing is believing.
I want to tell everybody, no matter
what part of the country you come
from, you have to come to Jigawa
to see what the Governor has
done. The second thing is the usual
consultations on the issues about
the country on which direction to
go.
Your
consultations
obviously have to do with the
new PDP and the crises that
has engulfed the party for
which Lamido is a member.
What is your stance on the
event in Abuja when a DPO
was instructed to embarrass
the aggrieved Governors?
First I want to remind you I
am not in PDP, I left about 6 or
7 months ago and I stated my
reasons as of the time. One of
those reasons is what happened
the other day. I saw the video and
I saw the story as it was happening,
I was getting calls from some of
the stakeholders who were in the
meeting and it amazed me and
saddened me that with all the
efforts that some of those that were
subjected to this humiliation have
made for our country, somebody
like his excellency Governor Sule
Lamido was one of those that
fought for the re-establishment
of democracy, I am not sure the
people appreciate that. When
they formed the G9 to convince
Abacha to begin to leave after that
they formed the PDP, I was a very
junior member; I came in very late.
I wasn’t even in the country. They
were the people that formed the
party. From the G9 then the G18
then the G37 and then the PDP and

I

Chief Femi Fani-Kayode, former Minister for Aviation under former
President Obasanjo was in Dutse, Jigawa State capital to consult
with Governor Sule Lamido on 2015. He spoke to newsmen just
before his meeting with the governor and he bared his mind on
the current crisis rocking the PDP, his exit to APC and his relationship
with the embattled Aviation Minister, Mrs Stella Oduah. Our Jigawa
Correspondent, Ahmed Abubakar, was there. Excerpts
then it became a formidable force
that it was for so many years. It was
there before President Obasanjo
became the President. So for people
like that to be subjected to that kind
of humiliation; for a DPO to be sent
to attempt to stop a meeting that
was being held within the confines
of the Kano State Governor’s Lodge
in the middle of the night, and it
was not a large political meeting
but just a gathering of individuals
and of course, they have the right to
do that; for them to walk in and do
what they did, I think it was very
disgraceful. I take Two things from
it: the first thing is that it serves as
a vindication for the decision and
choice some of us made sometimes
ago, because for as long as the
President of the Federal Republic
of Nigeria continues to run the
party, the PDP and the country the
way he is doing, then we need to
ensure that there are many changes
to endure that he doesn’t come
back.
The way to do that is to leave
and fight from outside. I feel that
when those that are fighting from
inside are subjected to this kind
of thing, it tends to vindicate the
position some of us had taken. The
other thing is that regardless of the
party, we really do need change.
It doesn’t matter which party you
are in and you are in the PDP what
they call the new PDP which I call
the original PDP, if you are within
that faction within the PDP then
it tells you that you need to fight a
lot harder to ensure that the party
becomes that which it was meant to
be and that which it was before this
tyranny and incompetence and this
sheer wickedness sets in.
It also means that those of us
that are outside the PDP, in the
APC or wherever you are, and those
that have like minds within the PDP
like the G7 Governors and many
other Governors, I assure you are
having consultations with many of
us and have expressed their desire

Femi Fani-Kayode

and determination to make a choice
to leave the Goodluck camp at the
appropriate time. It means we have
to join hands to come together not
to allow ourselves to be intimidated
but operate within the law to try to
ensure that we have a change and
that is the most important thing.
If at the federal level they had put
10% of the effort that somebody
like Governor Lamido has put in
from the state development, they
would have made a difference.
You are here as witnesses and I
sincerely hope that you will let the
world know. I don’t speak lightly
and I am not one that is given to
saying things just for the sake of
saying them and I find it very easy
to criticize, no matter how big or
how small, but at the same time
when you see a good thing, you
need to be honest and courageous
enough to come out and say it, this

“

Nigerians have lost their lives and
clearly there have been mistakes here
and there and the person that is charged
to protect the lives of the Nigerian people
in the sky don’t seem to be doing their
job the way I feel it should be done

has nothing to do with whichever
party you are in. If only the Federal
Government and the leadership of
this country had been able to do
the same thing or even 10% of it
at the federal level for the people
of this country, people wouldn’t be
complaining too much. They are
not doing that and at the same time
they are treading on everybody
in their own party. It also means
we have to join hands to come
together not to allow ourselves to
be intimidated but operate within
the law to try to ensure that we have
a change. I think we really have a
problem and it is for us that have
been in positions of leadership in
this country, that command some
level of respect, to try to do our best
to set the country on the right path
for greater change.
Are you going to ask him
to join the APC as part of your
consultation?
My own view is you don’t have
to be in the same party simply to
achieve an objective. My objective
is clear, I am totally committed to
ensuring that President Goodluck
does not come back in 2015. That is
borne out of the conviction, it is not
even a political choice or decision,
it is because I fear for the future of
this country if he does. It is nothing
personal, I have nothing against
him. As a matter of fact he is quite
a gentle person, I just think he is

not capable of running our country.
We should be bold to say that.
Whether you are in the new PDP or
in the APC, for me it doesn’t really
matter provided your objectives are
the same. I get the feeling that the
objective of those in the G7 in the
new PDP, I wouldn’t want to speak
for them, but I assume that they are
the same with that of the APC. They
also don’t feel comfortable with
the leadership of their party and
they want to effect change so we
have to work together on a suitable
candidate to take on the President
in 2015. That would be my own
choice but I think each one would
have to make up his own mind.
Some of them may have very strong
ties with the PDP and probably feel
that they don’t want to leave. I don’t
know but each person has to make
his own choice. I had friends that
left the PDP years ago. People like El
Rufai, Ribadu and so on but it took
me a lot longer to leave than them
but we are all together now within
the same party. I sincerely hope
that others will come including the
G7 Governors.
You had an issue with the
Aviation Minister just before
the bullet proof cars scandal,
did you set the ball rolling for
her barrage of attacks?
Well, let me start by saying
that I have absolutely nothing
personal against Mrs. Stella Odua.
Sometimes in this clime in our
country when people criticize,
the object of their criticisms
sometimes feel that there is
something personal, ‘he hates me,
he doesn’t like me.’ I could speak
from myself, from my nature I
don’t see the individual, I only see
the result of his or her actions and
I am compelled to speak about that
purely out of concern for the lives
of many people in this country.
If you have a situation whereby
200 people have died in the space
of 2years, you had seven plane
crashes including Helicopters,
light aircraft and all crashes put
together almost 200. Nigerians
have lost their lives and clearly
there have been mistakes here and
there and the person that is charged
to protect the lives of the Nigerian
people in the sky don’t seem to
be doing their job the way I feel it
should be done. I think it is the
question
that is being put to her now
concerning her conduct. My
concern is in trying to ensure
peoples’ lives are protected because
we all fly in this country. Comments
like accidents or crashes are
inevitable and that they are acts of
God, I don’t think are too helpful.
Other than that, I wouldn’t like to
say too much more. I don’t think
it is right to kick somebody who is
down.
I think she has more than
enough issues. I wish her well and
I sincerely hope that she can sort
herself out.

he Zamfara state Vehicle
Inspection Officer (VIO),
Alhaji Aliyu Muhammad
Zurmi, has said that 90 percent
of fatal road crashes recorded on
Nigerian highways are caused by
human error.
Such situation, he said, impact
negatively on the fight against road
accidents.
The VIO who spoke at the
opening of a one-day executive
meeting of Petrol Tanker Drivers
(PTD) for the North-west zone held
in Gusau, attributed the cause of
accidents to the impatience, reckless
driving and non professional use of
road signs.
He specifically called on the
tanker drivers to drive with caution,
regretting that some of them do
not respect the rights of other road
users.
He advised drivers to always
contact the VIOs for proper
counseling even before they were
issued with the driver’s license.
On the part of the state
government, Zurmi said, plans
were underway to erect road signs
in all the dangerous bends and
other critical locations so that
drivers especially first timers can be
cautioned on how to drive.

4,900 inmates
in Lagos prisonsController
From Ayodele Samuel, Lagos

T

he Controller of the Nigerian
Prison Service, Lagos, Mrs.
Catherine Nonye has said
that there are over 4,900 inmates
across various prisons in the state.
She said this on Monday at the
handling over ceremony of four
operational vehicles by the state
governor, Babatunde Fashola
to the Nigerian Prisons Service,
Lagos, to improve their efficiency
in the state.
Nonye lamented the state of
prisons in the state, saying: “We
have about 4,900 inmates in the
various prisons in the state and
transporting some of them is a bit
hard.
“We are happy with these buses
as it will add to our fleet and will
facilitate the movement of inmates
from the prison to the courts’’, she
said.
The prisons boss listed other
problems faced by the command
to include inadequate court
houses even as she called for the
state government’s assistance in
improving the prison facilities.
She
assured
the
state
government
of
continuous
partnership, as this will ensure
effective criminal justice system in
the state.
Fashola while handling over
the operational vehicles tasked the
federal government to improve
funding of the Service, saying
“proper funding of the service was
imperative to strengthen criminal
justice administration system.”

overnor Gabriel Suswam of
Benue state has faulted the
nomination of the house of
one Audu Maikudi, a money lender
as a significant monument to be
showcased from the state during
Nigeria’s centenary celebration.
The governor who made the
condemnation yesterday when
the Director-General of the

National Commission for Museum
and Monuments, Alhaji Yusuf
Abdullahi paid a courtesy visit
on him at Government House
Makurdi, noted that there were
better identifiable projects in the
state to be showcased.
He mentioned the office of the
deputy governor which was built
by the colonial masters in 1921, the
old bridge constructed in 1932 as
well as the ancient city of Abinsi

that has many colonial buildings
still standing strong.
“I totally disagree with the
commission for identifying the
house of a money lender to be
showcased from Benue state
during the centenary celebration
when there are better monuments
that the State can pride in.
The aim of your function is to
identify important artifacts and
other monuments that can be

showcased not only to Nigerians
but also the world”, Suswam said.
The Commission’s DG, in his
remarks, disclosed that over 100
sites have been identified to be
showcased during the centenary
celebration, adding that it was
aimed at highlighting the nation’s
similarities in our differences.
He said the identified sites will
be subjected to scrutiny before
accent by the Presidency.

L-R: Captain James Baitachi (rtd), Lt. Emmanuel Ayuba, Lt. Audu Giwa Kure, Secretary to the Government of Niger state, Hon.
Saidu Ndako Idris Kpaki, Commissioner for Gender Affairs and Youth Development, Hajiya Hassana Jummai Aliyu, Lt. Danjuma
Albobi, and Lt. Mamman Daniel Joshua, during a visit by the newly commissioned officers of the Nigerian Army from Niger state
to the SSG, on Monday in Minna.

he National Industrial
Court sitting in Jos on
Monday ordered a fresh
hearing notice to Bauchi state
government to appear before
it and respond to a case filed
against it by ex-councilors who
were asking for their outstanding
entitlements.
The court
said the
government’s failure to appear
on Monday left it with no
alternative than to compel the
government to appear.

The case was adjourned
several times because of the
failure by the government to send
its representative to respond
to the petition filled by 323
councilors of 2008 to 2011.
Counsel to the appellants,
Dalbadal Victor told the court
that the government had
declined any response to any
of the court processes from
the beginning of the case in
December 2011.
“We have properly served
them with all the notifications,
but they have not filed any

defence. No counsel to represent
them, no form of response from
the beginning of the matter up
to this time. My clients intended
to hold peaceful protest but I
stopped them. We have made
efforts to settle out of court but
they fail to fulfill the agreement.
We don’t have any place to
ventilate our grievances rather
than this court”.
The Judge, R. H. Gwandu, in
her ruling, warned the counsel to
the appellants not to use inciting
words and advise his clients
not to seek their right through

unlawful means, but continue
to be diligent and keep fate with
the court as the best way to seek
for justice.
She asked for another
hearing notice to the respondent,
emphasizing that, “The fact that
I don’t vent my anger to the
party involved because they are
not in court, but I look at their
action as a contempt of court,
and if they fail to respond, I will
subpoena them to be in court”.
The case has later been
adjourned to January 20, 2014
for next hearing.

Court slams 7 months imprisonment on man for fraud

From Matthew Irinoye, Lagos

A

Lagos High Court, Ikeja
on Monday
sentenced
a 27-year old man,
Junior Williams also known as
James Smith to seven months
imprisonment for involvement in
fraudulent act.
The presiding judge, Atinuke
Ipaye, said the sentencing
followed the guilty plea by the
accused after an amended charge
of offences bothering on fraud
brought by the Economic and
Financial Crimes Commission
(EFCC).

Having found the defendant
guilty of all the counts, Judge
Ipaye therefore sentenced him
to seven months imprisonment
on each of the counts, adding
that the sentence shall run
concurrently from the day he was
arrested.
Prior to the conviction,
counsel to the anti-graft agency,
Muhammed W. Bawa told the
court that the commission
received a petition from Four
Point Hotel By Sheraton that
the convict used stolen credit
card and various documents and
laptop to perpetrate the fraud.

According to him, “Junior
Williams (alias James Smith)
had in his possession a document
dated 16th May 2011 title
“GENTLEMEN ‘s AGREEMENT
financial instruments via swift
MT199+MT103” purported to
have originated from Barclays
Bank Plc, 1, Churchill Place,
London to Redsea Cooperative
Hotel for the transfer of funds
is good, clean, clear and free
from non criminal origin lien
encumbrances and third party
interest which you fraudulently
represented to him that you
possess from him.”

Bawa stated further that the
convict obtained credit under
false pretence for himself through
incurring liability for Unified
Payment Nigeria, the acquiring
company for VISA credit card
transaction by booking an
online room reservation at Four
Point By Sheraton Hotel with
stolen credit card No PAN49354901096990649 in the
name of James Smith.
The
offence
contravene
Section 364(1) and punishable
under Section 361(1) of the
Criminal Law Vol 44, no 11 Laws
of Lagos state, 2011.

PAGE 40

PEOPLES DAILY, WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 13, 2013

News Extra

Lagos sanctions 9 principals,
others over misdemeanour
N
o fewer than nine teaching
staff of public secondary
schools in Lagos state
including four Principals, three
vice-principals and two class
teachers have been sanctioned
with
various
punishments
ranging from demotion, transfer,
deferment of promotion and
stern warning for contravening
approved promotion criteria for
public secondary schools and
mutilation of students report
cards.

A statement issued Monday
by the state Ministry of Education
explained that the decision to
punish the teachers was taken
after an emergency Personnel
Board Meeting of the Education
District III, Falomo and was
meant to serve as a deterrent to
others who might flout the state’s
policy on promotion criteria in
the future.
The statement listed the
affected teachers all from the
Education District III as including

Officials
of the
Department
of
Petroleum
Resources
(DPR),
monitoring
the sales of
petroleum
products at
Mobil filling
station,
yesterday
at Utako, in
Abuja.

T

to the development of the education
system in the state.
He stated this yesterday at his
palace while receiving the former
Minister of Foreign Affairs and
current Commissioner, Political
Affair at the ECOWAS Commission,
Hajiya Salamatu Hussain, whom
the school was named after.
He
said
Salamatu’s
contributions
to
educational

development across the state made
the Kebbi state government and
other stakeholders did her the
honour.
“She is a role model; she
has
established
educational
foundations across the state’ she
always seek for my advice anywhere
she finds herself; she deserved this
honour”, he said.
Responding, Hajiya Salamatu

who was at the palace on a courtesy
visit, assured the emir and the
people of the state that she would
continue to support the education
sector, most especially girls-child
education.
“I am a female Lawyer; I
promise to support the education
sector, and I want parents to assist
their children both in the western
and Arabic education”, she said.

overnor Isa Yuguda of
Bauchi state has warned
students in all state owned
institutions of learning against
vandalising school properties or
face the consequences.
Yuguda gave the warning
yesterday when he paid an
unscheduled visit to Government
Secondary School, Toro, in Toro
local government area of the state.
He tasked the management of
schools in the state to ensure they
enforce discipline in the lives of
students, as it will go a long way
to inculcate moral values in them.
According to the governor:

T

he Igbo community in
Kwara state has appealed
to President
Jonathan
to ensure that all ethnic groups
in Nigeria participated in the
proposed dialogue.
The President-General of the
community in the state, Engr.
Trulove Njoku, who made the
appeal during an interview with
journalists in Ilorin, said there
was no way various burning issues
could be resolved without the
convergence of these groups.
“This national conference
or national dialogue should not
compromise the unity of Nigeria.
There should be fairness among all
ethnic groups that would participate
in the course of discussing issues
affecting our nation”, he said.

A

Gwandu emir backs renaming of secondary school
he Emir of Gwandu and
Chairman,
Kebbi
state
Traditional Rulers Council,
Maj. Gen. Iliyasu Bashar [rtd] has
described the renaming of the
Abdulahi Fodio Girls Secondary
School to Salamtu Hussain Girls
Secondary School by the Kebbi
state government as the right step

From Olanrewaju Lawal, Ilorin

Teenager in
court over
alleged
attempt to rob
with toy gun

Photo:
Justin ImoOwo

From Ahmed Idris, Birnin Kebbi

Igbos in Kwara
want all ethnic
nationalities at
Confab

“The state government has
invested so much in the
educational sector of the state by
equipping schools with computer
sets, supply of textbooks,
reconstruction work at the

schools,
improvement
of teachers’ welfare and the
feeding system. With a massive
investment such as this, I expect
the best from the teachers and the
students”.

Yuguda who lamented that
the system was infested with
unqualified teachers in the past,
noted that the state government
flushed out those teachers and
replaced them with qualified ones.

teenager, Yusuf Rasaq, who
allegedly attempted to rob
proprietress of a school with
a toy gun, yesterday appeared before
an Ikeja Magistrates’ Court on a twocount charge.
Eighteen-year-old Rasaq, who
resides in Ikorodu, Lagos, was
charged with attempted robbery and
conspiracy to commit robbery.
The prosecutor, Insp Roman
Unuigbe, said that the accused
conspired with another person
still at large and attempted to rob
the proprietress of Reigns Primary
School, Ikorodu, Mrs Christiana
Omoloye.
Unuigbe submitted that the
incident occurred on Oct. 26 at the
school premises. He said that the
offences contravened Sections 296
and 297 of the Criminal Law of Lagos
State, 2011.
The News Agency of Nigeria
(NAN) reports that attempted
robbery attracts up to 14 years jail
term.
The Magistrate, Mrs Olufunke
Hamzat, granted him bail in the sum
of N100, 000 with two sureties in like
sum.
She adjourned the case till Dec.
16 for mention. (NAN)

Katsina residents urge govt to construct link roads

S

ome residents of Katsina town
yesterday appealed to the state
government to construct access
roads to link seven communities in
the state capital with the new Ring
Road, to boost economic activities.
Some of the residents said in
an interview with the News Agency
of Nigeria (NAN) in Katsina that
the access road would benefit the

residents of Yammawa, Rafukka,
Kofar Sauri, Tudun Yan’lufidda,
Kukar Gesa, Farin Yaro and Kofar
Guga.
They commended the state
government for its efforts in roads
construction, but noted that the
absence of a road linking the
communities was causing hardship
to the residents.

One of the residents, Alhaji
Usman Tinau, said: ``Construction
of access roads to link the ring road
is very important because it will
accelerate the development of these
areas.
``Gov.
Ibrahim
Shema’s
administration is known for
construction of access roads in rural
and urban areas of the state, hence

the need for it to make same gesture
for Kofar Sauri to Kofar Guga area of
the Katsina town.’’
Alhaji Haruna Kuki, a resident
of Rafukka, said ``If access roads
are provided to link the ring road,
they will boost the socioeconomic
well being of the people not only in
the affected areas, but also the entire
state capital.’’(NAN)

PEOPLES DAILY, WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 13, 2013

Italy picks Balotelli,
others for Eagles
Stories by Albert Akota

T

he Super Eaglesl get a
stiff test when they meet
the Italian National team
as Coach Cesare Prandelli has
named a crack 28 man squad to
tackle the Super Eagles.
Italy, who have already qualified

Mario Balotelli

for the World Cup are due to face
Germany in Milan on Friday,
before travelling to London to
engage Nigeria at Fulham’s Craven
Cottage ground in an international
friendly .
There is a recall for Zenit
St
Petersburg
defender
DomenicoCriscito who has not
been part of the set up for about
two years, as well as Parma’s
Marco Parolo and Mario Balotelli.
Veteran goalkeeper Gianluigi
Buffon leads an all star cast that
includes Juventus playmaker
Andrea Pirlo, Lazio’s youngster
Lorenzo Insigne, Thiaggo Motta
and Manuel Pasquale.
Juventus
defender,
Angelo
Ogbonna, who has Nigerian
parents, also made the team
alongside Christian Maggio and
Federico Balzaretti, as dependable
defender Giorgio Chiellini drops
out due to injury.

PAGE 41

Mergersa vows to shock Eagles at Calabar

E

thiopian
midfielder
AsratMegersa
was
left
distraught after his team lost
1-2 against visitors Nigeria Super
Eagles last month in a World cup
2014 playoff match.
Visibly the best player in the match,
the tall and talented midfielder
gave a virtuoso performance that
earned him praise from Nigeria’s
coach Stephen Keshi but that was
not enough to help his team to
a dream win against the African
champions.
Megersa who returned back to
Ethiopia after a stint in Israel
playing for Hapoel Ramat
Hasharon still feels they could get
positive results against Nigeria
away in Calabar.
“Nigeria is a good side with very
talented players but in our first leg
match in Addis we pushed them to
the wall but crumbled late in the
game despite the good game we
played.
“We have a battle in our hands in
the return leg on Saturday but I
believe as footballers we cannot

Keshi glad over Obi, Moses
BBC award nominations
Nigeria head coach, Stephen
Keshi, has said that his excitement
to learn that John Obi Mikel and
Victor Moses are among the five
shortlist for the 2013 BBC Africn
Footballer of the Year.
BBC revealed its shortlist for this
year via its Newsday programme.
The three other shortlisted
players are Jonathan Pitroipa of
Burkina Faso, Gabon’s PierreEmerickAubameyang and Ivory
Coast midfielder, YayaToure, who
makes the shortlist for the fifth
successive year.
Keshi, 51, said the nomination
of Mikel and Moses shows that
the African champions are now
competing with the best on the
continent.
He revealed how he spoke to the
Super Eagles on resumption as
head coach of the team two years
ago on worming their ways into
winning individual honours while
balancing their ethics as team
players at the same time.
“I’m hearing this for the first time.
I’ve been busy preparing for the
World Cup game against Ethiopia.
“But I’m happy to hear this and it
is pleasant news for the players,
the team and the nation. I hope
one of them can win it.
“I must say this is a result of hard
work, commitment and openmindedness to learn and make
sacrifices as individuals and as a
team.
“When I became coach of the team
I sat down with the boys and made
it clear that they have the ability to
be rated among the best players in
not just Africa but the world.

“These boys already know much
about the game and I’m sure I can’t
start teaching like small boys.
“I try as much as possible to make
them feel like they are in a family
which is important and it has
worked well for us and that’s why
we have players being nominated
for awards now. But it’s down
to the good work of the players,
coaches and officials.

Mikel and Moses

“Now I am confident that we are
on the verge of good things to come
once we continue with this same
pace and I am happy that what we
started two years ago is bearing
fruits. I hope one of them will win
the award this year,” Keshisaid.
Austin Okocha was the last
Nigerian to win the BBC award
in 2004 after he had won it the
previous year.

AsratMegersa

rule out a comeback at this stage as
everything is possible in football.”
“We have all been dreaming big
for the World cup and the mood
in camp is very upbeat but we
leave all to God to help guide us in

Calabar one truth is that we are all
proud of where we have come from
since the qualifiers started.
“We hope for good results and that
is what we are working hard for
now,” Asratsaid.

Akpoborie warns Eagles
against complacency

F

ormer Nigerian forward,
Jonathan Akpoborie has
charged Super Eagles not
to take the Walya Antelopes of
Ethiopia for granted.
Both sides will clash in the
decisive 2014 Fifa World Cup
African play-offs on Saturday at
the UJEsuene Stadium, Calabar.
The Eagles will head into the
clash with the first fixture 2-1
win against the East Africans in
Addis Ababa in October.
Akpoborie said the Ethiopians
will be a hard nut to crack when
both sides square up for the
decisive challenge this weekend
given their brilliant performance
back home in Ethiopia.
“The Super Eagles shouldn’t
take the Ethiopians for granted
as they’re capable of causing an
upset here in Calabar.
“The game in Addis Ababa was a
difficult one though we won 2-1

by sheer brilliance of Emmanuel
Emenike.
“The Ethiopians stood out in that
game even though they lost and
will be more dangerous when
they take to the pitch on Saturday
against the Eagles in the reverse
fixture.
“The Eagles must gird their loins
for a tough game as Ethiopians
are not finished as far as the race
for Brazil 2014 is concerned.
“I’m positive the Eagles will
grab a decent result that will
hand them the World Cup ticket
but must work extremely hard
to achieve the feat,” the former
VfL Wolfsburg striker said.
The aggregate winners of the
encounter will automatically
qualify for the quadrennial
global
football
showpiece
coming up in the South
American state, Brazil next
summer.

Eagles

PAGE 42

PEOPLES DAILY, WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 13, 2013

Sports

Federation postpones annual public service games

T

he President of Federation of Public Service Games
(FPSGA), Dr Victor Orji has said that the 2013
FPSGA game billed for Nov. 21 to Nov. 30 has been
postponed.
Victor, who disclosed this Abuja, said that the games
have been re- scheduled for December.
According to him, the game was shifted based on their
numbers of participating and the Head of Civil Service
promotion exams while other offices are still waiting to
get approval.
“The date of the game has been shifted to December
because some of our members are participating in the
Head of Civil Service promotion exams going on,
“And also some offices are yet to get approval to participate in the game due to the resources which comes in

end of the month.
“So we are hoping that by end of this month they
would have gotten the approval and everything will be in
place,” he said.
“The game will not affect the NYG because Abuja is
hosting, ours is in Benue so there is no problem with
that,”
He however said the football play-off billed for November to select clubs from each zones was also cancelled.
Orji said looking at the numbers of football clubs
registered arrangement had been put in place to accommodate all the teams which led to the cancellation.
Peoples daily Sports recalled that 30 football clubs
had initially indicated interest to participate in the

football play-off billed for Nov. 4 to Nov.9 at the National
stadium.
“We decided after the meeting to cancel the play-off
after considering some other things we realise that we
can accommodate all the teams that have register for the
game.
“So we do not have to screen or the team participating in
the zonal elimination, all the 30 clubs will participate in the
game,”
Orji further stated that they were under-going screening
to ensure that athletes registered under a particular organisation were staff of that organisation.
“We are going from one office to the other for the screening exercise to ensure that athletes that are registered under
a particular organisation are staff of that organisation.

inister of Sports and
Chairman National
Sports Commission
(NSC), Bolaji Abdullahi
yesterday insisted that federal
government will only support
federations that have gold
medal capacity at international
competitions while disclosing
this at the inauguration of the
2nd batch of National Sports
Federation in Abuja, noted
that era of jamboree has past
and NSC has stir from era of
uncertainly to an era of inclusion
and greater participations.
Minister explained that the
inauguration of the 2nd batch
of the federation implies that
32 of the 41 federation have
successfully conducted their
election.
“I am aware that the present
the board does not preclude any
federation from indentifying
credible Nigerians that can help
in uplifting the sports to an
appreciable level.
“As a further step towards
the full democratization of
our sports, all federation must
enjoin to encourage their sports
federation to imbibe the culture
of constituting their boards
through democratic process.
The practice of selecting people
for sports association is against

the norm of international sports
federation.
“Therefore, NSC can only
support those that have gold
medals capacity to be taken
part in any international
competitions especially
Commonwealth and Olympic
games in 2014, “he said.
Minister however, reminded
the newly elected member that
their election to federations is a
clarion call to national service
and charged them to work as a
team.” Abdullahi said.
In his remarked, DirectorGeneral of the NSC, Gbenga
Elegbeleye, said that time had
come for Nigerian sports to
reclaim its lost glory.
“This is the final lap of the
democratization process of the
national sports federations. It is
time to give support and make
necessary contributions that will
positively transform our sports”
The newly elected
federations are Nigeria Aquatics
federation, Nigeria Boxing
Federation (NBF), Nigeria
Cycling Federation, Nigeria Golf
Federation, Nigeria Hockey
Federation, Nigeria Kick-boxing
Federation, Nigeria Rowing and
Yachting Federation KungFu
Federation, Nigeria Rugby
Federation, Nigeria scrabble
Federation and Nigeria Shooting
Federation

he President of the
Nigeria Football
Federation (NFF) Alhaji
Aminu Maigari yesterday said
that they have intensified
preparations for the 2014
FIFA World Cup showdown
against the Walya Antelopes of
Ethiopia.
Maigari, who stated this
in Abuja during an interactive
session with the media, said
that the NFF was aware of the
expectations of Nigerians in the
Nov. 16 showdown in Calabar.
According to Maigari, the
NFF had decided to give the
match the attention it deserved,
to ensure that the Super Eagles
qualified for the World Cup
at the expense of the Walya
Antelopes.
“We are on the last lap of
this campaign and we hope to
be victorious at the end of the

Aminu Maigari

game, we are fully prepared for
Saturday’s encounter against
Ethiopia.
“Though I am not aware of

how many players that have
arrived the camp of the Super
Eagles, I believe that all is well.
“Nobody is taking this match
lightly; we are committed to this
cause because we want to create
history,’’ Maigari said.
Meanwhile, Emeka Inyama,
a member of the board of
the NFF, urged Nigerians to
pray for the team as it strived
to consolidate on the recent
success of the Golden Eaglets at
the just-concluded U-17 World
Cup.
He added that the prayers
of Nigerians contributed to the
success of the Super Eagles in
the last African Cup of Nations
tournament in South Africa.
The Super Eagles would
need to consolidate on their
earlier 2-1 victory against the
Walya Antelopes, to qualify for
the 2014 World Cup.

Amputees pledge to lift Nation’s Cup in Liberia

T

he Nigeria Amputee
Football Federation (NAFF)
National team yesterday
boasted that it would lift the Cup
of Nations for Amputee Football
(CANAF) in Liberia, holding from
Nov. 25 to Nov. 30.
The Assistant Coach of the
team, Gbenga Dosunmu, said that
the players had been exhibiting
tremendous skills at the training
sessions.
“I am happy with the level
of responsiveness of the boys
to the painstaking programmes
we subjected them to, they
are obedient and yielding
to corrections, which is very
encouraging.
“In spite of the open camp,
non-response from the national
body, they still show interest and
the zeal of victory is manifesting
in their general performance,’’ he
said.
According to him, Nigeria was
able to make a mark at the 2011
edition held in Ghana by thrilling
Nigerians in the Diaspora and
other football fans.
“I am very optimistic that
football enthusiasts will be on the

Amputee players
look out for our national team,
while other participating teams
will be warming up to confront
us.’’
He said it was disheartening
that no adequate preparation was
being made to fortify the team’s
readiness for the competition,
urging the National Sports
Commission (NSC) to give them
some attention.
``The team is expected to be
in closed camp, engage in friendly
matches and probably go for a
training tour to get exposure, but

nothing is forthcoming, even till
date.
“These boys are out to make
the country proud like the Golden
Eaglets just did, notwithstanding
their physical challenges. All they
need is adequate preparation
from the NSC and other corporate
organisations,’’ he said.
The NAFF national team
presently trains behind the
Stadium Hotel, Surulere, while
waiting to be invited to camp to
tidy up their preparations for the
continental tournament (CANAF).

PEOPLES DAILY, WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 13, 2013

PAGE 43

Ribery: Zidane tried to lure me to Real

B

ayern Munich winger
Franck Ribery has said
Zinedine Zidane “tried all
he could” to persuade him to join
Real Madrid.
France international Ribery
was heavily linked with both
Madrid and Barcelona before
joining Bayern in 2007, and
speculation that he could join
one of them resurfaced before
he signed a new deal to stay in
Munich in 2010.
The 30-year-old told BeIN
Sport, in quotes reported by AS,
that he was happy in Germany
but would not rule out joining
compatriot Zidane in Madrid at
some point.
“I am not interested now
because Bayern is my family,”
he said. “Barcelona and Madrid
are very big teams. There was a
moment when both teams were
interested in me, and I liked

both.
“But I had a moment in
which I felt closer to Madrid
than Barcelona. Zidane wanted
me to go to Madrid and he tried
all he could.”
Ribery, who played a starring
role in Bayern’s treble-winning
2012-13 season, said he believes
he has a good chance of picking
up this year’s Ballon d’Or.
“I feel good about it,” he said.
“It is getting closer and closer.
This has been one of my best
years. I was lucky enough to win
everything.”
FIFA president Sepp Blatter
revealed last weekend that this
year’s shortlist for the prize
would contain five names,
two more than in previous
years. Those five names will be
announced early next month,
with the prize handed out in
Zurich on 13 January.

Franck Ribery
Lionel Messi’s ongoing
injury issues threaten his fouryear stranglehold on the prize,
although he is still tipped to make
the list.

A

Cristiano Ronaldo is another
certainty to make that cut, with
Neymar and Zlatan Ibrahimovic
others thought likely to be on the
list.

tletico Madrid striker Diego
Costa has withdrawn from
the Spain squad with a leg
injury.
The Brazil-born 25-year-old,
who has won two caps for his
homeland, confirmed his wish
to play for Spain and was named
in the squad to face Equatorial
Guinea and South Africa.
He qualifies through residency
having joined Atletico in 2007.
Costa played for Brazil against
Russia and Italy in March, but
friendly games do not commit
international players.
He was left out of the Brazil
squad for June’s Confederations
Cup and is not tied to one country
until he has played in an official
competitive game.
He has scored 13 goals in 13 La
Liga appearances this season.
Brazil coach Luiz Felipe
Scolari had said last month that
he would pick Costa for the

upcoming friendlies with Chile
and Honduras.
Scolari added that “Spain
should respect Brazil’s right to
choose its players” and accused
Costa of “turning his back on the
dream of millions”.
Speaking last week, Costa
admitted the decision to switch
allegiance was a difficult one.
“It was very difficult to choose
between the country where you
were born and the country that
has given you everything,” he
said.
Costa is the fifth Brazil-born
player to be included in a Spain
squad following Heraldo Becerra,
Catanha, Donato and most
recently Marcos Senna.
He has been replaced by
Juventus striker Fernando
Llorente in the squad.
Holders Spain will defend
their World Cup title in Brazil
next summer.

Mertesacker, Ozil, Klose doubtful for Germany squad

Arsenal duo Per Mertesacker and Mesut Ozil are struggling with illness.

G

ermany coach Joachim Loew could be
without Per Mertesacker, Mesut Ozil
and Miroslav Klose for the forthcoming
friendlies against Italy and England.

Ibrahimovic,
Neymar
battle for
best goal

Z

Costa ruled out of Spain squad with injury

Diego Costa

Sports

A virus had ruled Arsenal centre-back
Mertesacker out of Arsenal’s 1-0 defeat to
Manchester United on Sunday, and while
teammate Mesut Ozil did appear at Old Trafford

he has also contracted the
illness.
The German Football
Association (DFB) announced
that neither player will be
present when the Germany
squad meets in Munich ahead
of the two games. However, the
DFB did not reveal whether they
were expected to be available
before the flight to Milan on
Thursday.
Lazio striker Klose has
travelled to Munich but is
unlikely to be available for
either Friday’s game in Italy or
Tuesday’s game in England.
The 35-year-old, who has
just returned from a foot injury,
damaged his shoulder in Lazio’s
1-1 draw against Parma and will
be examined by DFB doctors in
Munich on Monday.
With 68 goals, Klose is
currently tied at the top of the
Germany all-time scorer list with
legendary striker Gerd Mueller.

latan Ibrahimovic’s brilliant
overhead goal for Sweden is
among the ten contenders to
win the 2013 FIFA Puskas Award.
Ibrahimovic capped an
incredible four-goal display in
Sweden’s 4-2 win over England
on Nov. 14, 2012 as he executed a
bicycle kick from 30 yards out that
looped over goalkeeper Joe Hart.
The Paris Saint-Germain
striker is on a ten-strong list to
land the FIFA Puskas Award,
which was won by Slovakia’s
Miroslav Stoch in 2012.
Also on the list is Neymar
for his thumping shot for Brazil
in their 3-0 Confederations Cup
win over Japan, and Udinese’s
Antonio Di Natale for his stunning
volley against Chievo in April this
year.
Votes for the winner are
to be cast on FIFA.com and
francefootball.fr until Dec. 9
before a second round of voting
will take place from the three
leading strikes.
The victor will be announced
at the unveiling of the FIFA Ballon
d’Or in Zurich on Jan. 13, 2014.

Messi
out for 8
weeks

L

ionel Messi has likely played
his last game of 2013 after
tests carried out on Monday
found that the Barcelona forward
tore a muscle in his left thigh
during the previous night’s 4-1
Primera Division win at Real
Betis.
Messi, 26, appeared to suffer
an injury during a sprint while
challenging for the ball with Betis
defender Jose Caro in the 18th
minute.
The four-time Ballon d’Or
winner immediately approached
the Barca dugout to tell them
he was hurt, and Andres Iniesta
replaced him in the 21st minute.
At the time it looked like the
Argentina captain had suffered
another muscle problem, and
confirmation of a tear came via a
club statement released.
Given Barca’s last match
before this season’s winter
break is at Getafe on Dec. 24, it
now looks likely Messi will get
to spend Christmas at home in
Argentina and perhaps be back in
action for his club’s first game of
2014 at home to Elche on Jan. 4
or 5, before attending the Ballon
d’Or ceremony in Zurich on Jan.
13.

PAGE 44

PEOPLES DAILY, WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 13, 2013

Sports

Britain extends
ATP World Tour
Finals deal to
2015

T

he
BBC
will
continue
broadcasting the Barclays ATP
World Tour Finals from the
O2 in London in 2014 and 2015 after
extending its contract with the ATP.
The deal gives non-exclusive
television and full radio commentary
rights, with eight singles matches on
television, including a semi-final and
the final.
The BBC has also secured nonexclusive live radio and online rights
to all ATP World Tour Masters 1000
matches.
The ATP World Tour Finals have
been on the BBC since moving to
London in 2009.
The 02 Arena has hosted the ATP
World Tour finals since 2009 and
will do so until at least 2015
The tournament, held annually
since 1970, is the climax to the men’s
professional season, with the top
eight singles players and doubles
teams competing for the last titles of
the season.

Djokovic beats Nadal to
win World Tour Finals

N

ovak Djokovic retained his ATP
World Tour Finals title with
a convincing win over world
number one Rafael Nadal.
The Serb, who lost the top ranking
to Nadal last month, won 6-3 6-4 at the
O2 Arena in London.
Djokovic, 26, extended his unbeaten
run to 22 matches as he claimed the
season-ending title for the third time.
He will now head to Belgrade, where
Serbia take on the Czech Republic in
the Davis Cup final from Friday.
Nadal might have earned the
year-end number one ranking after
his remarkable return from injury in
February, but Djokovic denied him a
first ATP Finals title and laid down a
marker for battles to come in 2014.
“It’s the highest quality of tennis
that you have next to Grand Slams,
because every match that you play,
you play against a top 10 player every
second day,” said Djokovic. “Especially
this year, with back to back Paris Bercy

tournament and London, wasn’t easy
for sure.
Always the happier of the two
playing indoors, the pace and depth
of Djokovic’s returns in particular put
pressure on Nadal and played a major
part in the Spaniard double-faulting
four times in the opening set.
In a blistering start, Djokovic was
one point from going 4-0 clear as he
stood up to the baseline and returned
Nadal’s firepower with interest.
However, a missed backhand on
break point let the Spaniard off the
hook, and Djokovic’s game briefly
deserted him.
An unexpected sliced backhand
from Nadal caught the Serb off guard
and drew an error that allowed the top
seed back into the set, but Djokovic
gathered himself to hold for 4-3 and
then launched another assault.
Nadal, 27, might have won three
of his five meetings with Djokovic this
year but the Serb won comfortably last

Novak Djokovic
time out in Beijing, and when the Spaniard began spraying
forehands early in the second set, a repeat looked on the
cards.
Djokovic converted his third break point for a 2-1 lead
with yet another deep return that Nadal could not handle,
and he had two points to break for a fourth time.

Jamaica doping scandals tip of iceberg, says senior drug tester

J

amaica’s most senior drug
tester says the country’s recent
rash of failed tests might be
the “tip of an iceberg”.
Dr Paul Wright said that the

Caribbean island’s anti-doping
regime had been woefully short
of the international standards
required.
His comments come a week

after the World Anti-Doping Agency
visited Jamaica to investigate
claims that the country’s athletes
were not being tested rigorously
enough.

Former Jamaican Anti-Doping
Commission executive director
Renee Anne Shirley sparked the
crisis when she said the agency
conducted just one out-ofcompetition test in the six months
leading up to the 2012 Olympic
Games in London.
Her criticisms, made in an
article in Sports Illustrated,
followed a series of adverse
findings involving Jamaican track
and field athletes.
Asafa Powell, the former
100m world record holder, was
the biggest name to test positive,
but four others including Powell’s
training partner - the Olympic
relay gold medallist Sherone
Simpson - also failed tests at the

country’s national trials in June.
Both Powell and Simpson
claim that they took supplements
that might have been contaminated
with the banned stimulant
Oxilofrine.
Wada officials are due to discuss
their visit to Jamaica at an executive
board meeting in Johannesburg on
Tuesday and could make a series of
recommendations to improve the
country’s anti-doping policies.
But Dr Wright - a senior doping
control officer with Jadco who
has 30 years of experience of drug
testing in sport - is concerned that
Wada’s intervention will not lead
to the sweeping changes required
to give the world confidence in
Jamaican sport.

Grand National winner fined
£3,000 over Southwell run

G

Powell and Simpson

WBO orders Burns to fight Crawford

P

lans for a February rematch
between WBO lightweight
champion Ricky Burns and
Raymundo Beltran look to be off
after the governing body ordered
Burns to make a mandatory
defence.
The WBO has told Burns’s
management
to
begin
negotiations with mandatory
challenger Terence Crawford of
the USA.
The letter, dated 8 November,
gives the Burns camp 30 days to
arrange the bout.
However, unification fights
with either Miguel Vazquez or
Richar Abril remain possibilities
for the Scot.

Burns retained his world title
after a controversial draw with
Beltran in September.
The 30-year-old champion
suffered a broken jaw early
in the fight, with the Mexican
challenger’s manager saying his
fighter had been “robbed”.
And promoter Eddie Hearn
said he thought Beltran had done
enough to win “a close fight”.
The much-hyped Crawford,
26, from Omaha, is unbeaten in
22 contests.
Burns could go after IBF
champion Vazquez or bid to take
Abril’s WBA belt, but negotiations
would need to be done quickly
following the WBO’s intervention.

Ricky Burns

rand
National-winning
trainer Sue Smith has been
fined £3,000 by the stewards
at Southwell over the running and
riding of hurdler Emral Silk.
Conditional jockey Jonathan
England was suspended for 18 days
and the horse banned from running
for 40 days.
Stipendiary steward Robert
Sidebottom said the rider “didn’t
make all reasonable substantial effort
to achieve the best possible placing.”
Smith’s 66-1 shot Auroras Encore

won the National at
Aintree in April.
The wife of former
top
showjumper
Harvey Smith, based
in Bingley, West
Yorkshire, was the
third woman to train
a National winner
after Jenny Pitman
(Corbiere 1983, Royal
Athlete 1995) and
Venetia
Williams Sue Smith

(Mon Mome 2009).
Emral Silk (12-1) finished seventh
of eight behind winner John Reel,
beaten a total of 42 lengths on his
hurdles debut.
“They have been found in breach
of schooling and conditioning in
public,” said Sidebottom.
England’s ban runs from 25
November to 12 December. It was
his second offence within 12 to 24
months. Emral Silk is prohibited
from competing in a race from 14
November to 24 December.

PEOPLES DAILY, WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 13, 2013

PAGE 45

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HEBRON INTERNATIONAL CHRISTIAN
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CHANGE OF NAME
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CHANGE OF NAME
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www.peoplesdailyng.com

. . . putting the people first

WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 13, 2013

QUOTABLE QUOTE
“To show how unserious the government is, it was during
the recent meeting that our members had with President
Jonathan, that the President saw the copy of the agreement
that we entered with the government in 2009. How do you
expect us to trust the government? And the president was
chairman of the federal government delegation.
– ASUU members on FG offer

SPORTS Gaidam spoke with 100% honesty
LATEST

Eagle’s camp
bubbles as
Okwuosa, Mikel hit
yesterday’s training

D

espite flight hiccups from
Lagos to Calabar and Abuja
to Calabar, only nine Super
Eagles players missed the maiden
training session of the team ahead of
Saturday’s clash against Ethiopia in
the Canaan City of Calabar.
The Head Coach, Stephen Keshi
has led all members of the technical
crew and other officials into the
city now described as Nigeria
and Africa’s number one tourism
destination.
Few hours later, Chippa United
of South Africa central defender,
James Okwuosa arrived camp to
become the first player from outside
the shores of Nigeria to arrive.
Immediately after lunch
yesterday, John Mikel Obi came
in with John Ogu and MLS star,
Bright Dike. Everybody was getting
animated.
Few minutes later Victor Moses
arrived, Godfrey Oboabona too,
Nnamdi Oduamadi remained
the good boy he has always been
and just as training commenced
Elderson Echejile joined his mates
at the UJ Esuene Stadium.
The five home based stars that
opened camp on Monday and you
will know how happy camp has been.

Calabar Monarch
sees Eagles in Brazil

T

I

n the midst of the
unsavoury debate over
the rightfulness of a
six month’s extension of
emergency rule on Adamawa,
Borno and Yobe states, I hope
the government is listening to
Governor Ibrahim Gaidam’s
mantra for curbing the Boko
Haram insurgency in the
North-east?
Nigerians of various hue,
including parliamentarians
who gave a go-ahead for the
extension of the emergency
rule have been asking the
question over and over again
if this rule had provided the
answer for violence. We
are daily witnessing acts of
violence involving robbery,
decoitry, kidnapping, and
murder everywhere. In the
North and other parts of the
country, people are amassing
illicit arms and ammunition.
The forces of hate and
violence are becoming more
and more entrenched, almost
becoming impenetrable to
the security forces. With the
deadly onslaught of Boko
Haram particularly in Borno
and Yobe, Nigerians have
every reason to be skeptical
about the strategies in place
for curbing insurgency and
crime.
Until
it
chose
a
nationalistic approach to the
problem, the administration
at the centre had dismissed
suggestions
of
security
lapses out of hand, and
pushed conspiracy theories
against political opponents
in the North. Things have
now eased up a great deal.
The government no longer
jumped the gun with namecalling before it became clear
who is to blame for incidents

he paramount ruler of the Iquo
People of Calabar Municipality,
His Royal Majesty, Edidem
(Dr) Thomas Ika Ika Qua, has
declared that phisically, spiritually
and otherwise, the Super Eagles have
already berthed at the World Cup
holding next June in Brazil.
The team will play the final
leg, second round qualifier against
the Wailan Aibecs (Antelopes) of
Ethiopia of Ethiopia in Calabar.
Speaking in his palace, when
he received team coordinator,
Emmanuel Atta and Media Officer,
Ben Alaiya, who were sent by Head
Coach, Stephen Keshi to seek his
royal and fatherly support, the
traditional ruler said the match will
not be as easy as envisaged but the
Nigerian side has what it takes to
pick the World Cup ticket.
“I have been reading all manner
of boasts by the opposition that
they will come here and defeat
Nigeria and I simply say how can
somebody who has never crossed
the big river says he has killed a
crocodile. The oppossition will
definiytely fall”, he said.
“The God of Nigeria and that of
the land of Calabar is with the team
and no amount of evil machinations
will make the team not to achieve its
aim”, he declared.

“

ADVERT:
0803
BUSINESS:
0805
NEWS:
0814
LAGOS:
0805
0803

311
689
292
327
454

MUSINGS
By

Garba Shehu
garshehu@yahoo.co.in

Gov. Ibrahim Gaidam

of terror. May be they have
begun to put national interest
first.
News Agency of Nigeria
quoted a member of the
House of Representatives,
Honourable Goni Haruna,
(APC, Yobe) decrying the six
months extension, saying
“100 percent of the state,
including myself and the
Governor (Ibrahim Gaidam),
say no to the extension of
emergency rule in the state”.
He
said
since
the
emergency rule was declared,
the people of the state had
come under severe attacks by
the Boko Haram group.
He further stated that
the state had been unable
to provide the dividends

of democracy to its people
because
much
of
the
resources available to the
government was being spent
providing security.
The governor in his
reaction asserted that it
was not the extension of
emergency rule that would
end insurgency but a fullthrottled army push to quell
the Boko Haram. To do other
than this, he said, would
amount to “motion without
movement”.
In the opinion of the
governor,
members
of
the insurgent group were
in possession of superior
weapons than the army.
He then advised that “the
Federal Government must
provide high caliber arms and
weapons to succeed in the
fight against terrorism. Until
the country’s security outfit
is fully equipped with more
superior arms, equipment
and reinforced manpower,
we may have slim chances
of winning the fight against
terrorism.”
This is a new and dramatic
turn in the entire debate. It
brings to the fore, the issue of
the responsibility of leaders
to the armed personnel
they send to fight for the
country. In this war against
insurgency, what is often
forgotten is the thousands of

Politics in Nigeria can get tweaked and twisted
and this happens all the time. But no right-thinking
government can risk a situation in which its army is
the under-dog in this kind of war. Army’s reputation
for its ability to restore law and order whenever the
police fails continues to take a big hit in, not only the
North-east but in North-central states of Plateau and
Benue. No national army wants to be the under-dog
in this kind of situation and our leaders must act to
reverse this.
7458
1765
9046
1969
0344

men (and women) who gave
up, and are still giving up
their lives to see Nigeria is
united and safe. It is to this
issue that Gov. Gaidam spoke.
His was a clever speech that
resonated will with many in
the region.
Politics in Nigeria can get
tweaked and twisted and this
happens all the time. But no
right-thinking
government
can risk a situation in which
its army is the under-dog
in this kind of war. Army’s
reputation for its ability
to restore law and order
whenever the police fails
continues to take a big hit
in, not only the North-east
but in North-central states
of Plateau and Benue. No
national army wants to be
the under-dog in this kind
of situation and our leaders
must act to reverse this.
Having
noted
this,
it is important that the
engagement
with
the
insurgents is not reduced
to the level of bullets and
guns alone, as many have
repeatedly said. Even after
making much hue and cry
about human rights violations,
civil society groups and most
of the citizens do appreciate
the good work of the security
agencies. There is no known
method yet, by which heavilyarmed insurgents can be
contained without a resort
to arms even in situations of
self-defence. But beyond this,
government policies should
begin with honest intentions
to aim at changing the lives
of the poor inhabitants of
these strife-torn areas. As
everyone agrees, poverty lies
at the heart of all the violence.
In addition to the creation of
job opportunities, education
and
socio-economic
empowerment, government
should start taking the right
messages to the people.
Do poor Muslims want
to fight poor Christians
or fight poverty? Do poor
Beroms want to fight poor
Fulanis or fight poverty?
With civic education using
radio, classrooms, churches
and mosques, political and
other social gatherings, poor
Nigerians will come to know
that the battle we have to fight
is to become richer, not to
shoot at or slit one another’s
throat.